The life of Porphyry, bishop of Gaza

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THE

LIFE OF PORPHYRY

BISHOP OF GAZA

BY

MARK THE DEACON

TRANSLATED WITH INTRODUCTION
AND NOTES BY

G. F. HILL

OXFORD

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

i9T3

HENRY FROWDE

PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
LONDON, EDINBURGH, NEW YORK, TORONTO
MELBOURNE AND BOMBAY

BR

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tv;i iT?n IN EMQ!

PREFACE

THE present translation of the Life of
Saint Porphyry is based on the Greek text
published in the Teubner series by the members
of the Bonn Philological Society in 1895. My
thanks are due to Messrs. Teubner for their
courtesy in allowing me to make use of this
text, the pages of which are indicated by
figures preceded by the letter T in the
margin of this translation. I have written
a short introduction dealing with certain
points arising out of the subject, and have
added a few notes, which make no claim to
originality. Some of these give the Greek
text in cases where technical phrases are used,
or where I have realized that the original
might, perhaps, by scholars more conversant
than myself with the Greek of the period, be
more adequately rendered. In the notes are
also given the chronological data, and the
equivalents in weight of gold of the various

iv Preface

sums of money mentioned in the text ; to
attempt to estimate their purchasing power
would be futile. For the translation, at the
risk of recalling the atmosphere of Wardour
Street, a more or less Biblical English has been
employed. Such a style seemed naturally to
impose itself, in spite of certain inevitable
incongruities. The references to the Bible
under the text are given first to the English
Authorized Version, and then, in brackets, to
the Septuagint, where the latter requires a
different citation. In the rendering of such
quotations I have not followed any English
version consistently, so that probably no
reader is likely to be satisfied.

The bibliography records the books which
I have specially consulted, together with the
various editions of the Latin translation by
Hervet. It does not, however, contain general
books, such as those of Harnack and Duchesne,
which must be at the side of every student
of the period ; nor can it express the amount
of my indebtedness to the admirable little
dissertation by A. Nuth. Finally, I should
like to express my thanks to Mr. H. I. Bell,

Preface v

Mr. Walter Ashburner, and the Rev. C. F.

Rogers for their kind assistance in various
difficulties ; to Mr. J. A. Herbert, who has
made various valuable suggestions in reading
the translation and Introduction ; and above
all to Mr. Norman H. Baynes, who has
throughout freely placed his great knowledge
of Byzantine literature at my disposal, and
has read the Introduction and Notes. For the
defects in these, as in the translation, I am,
however- of course wholly responsible.

G. E. H.

British Museum,
Aug. 1912.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Bibliography ....

viii

Introduction ....

xiii

The Life of Saint Porphyry .

I

• 113

Indexes .....

• H5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Manuscripts
H= Jerusalem, Patriarchal Library, Cod. S. Sepul-

chri I, x cent.
B = Oxford, Baroccianus graec. 238, xi cent.
V= Vienna, hist, graec. 3, x or xi cent.
Vatican, Ottobonianus graec. 92, xvi cent, [a copy

ofV].
P=Paris, Bibl. Nat. 1452, x cent. (Epitome).
M=Moscow, 184 (376), xi cent. (Epitome).

On these see the Introduction to the Teubner
edition, and Nuth's dissertation, pp. I f.

Printed Texts

A. Greek

Editio Princeps, from V, by M. Haupt, in Abhand-
lungen Berl. Akad. d. Wiss., 1874, pp. 171 ff.

Marci Diaconi Vita Porphyrii Episcopi Gazensis.
ediderunt Societatis Philologae Bonnensis So-
dales. Lipsiae (Teubner). 1895. Contains also
the text of P and M.

B. Latin

Translation by Gentian Her vet (1 499-15 84) from

V, in
A. Lipomanus, de Vitis Sanctorum (1581), i,

PP- 332-9-

Bibliography ix

Laur. Surius, Vitae Sanctorum (1617), Feb.,
pp. 200-13.

Bollandius et Henschenius, Acta Sanctorum (1736),
Feb. t. iii, pp. 643-61, with Mazochi's annota-
tions.

Gallandius, Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum (1773),
t. ix, pp. 259-77.

Migne, Patrologia Graeca, t. Ixv (1858), pp. 1211 sq.

Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum, t. iii (1865), Feb. 26,
pp. 649-66.

C. Russian

Translation by Pomyalovsky, from Haupt's text,
in Part V of the Palestinsky Paterik (Impera-
torskoe Pravoslavnago Palestinskoe Obstchestvo) ;
2d. edition, St. Petersburg, 1899.

D. English

Translation of cc. 37-49 by J. B. Bury in his Later
Roman Empire, i, pp. 200-5 C1*^).

Studies and Criticisms
Lenain de Tillemont, Mem. pour servir a Vhist.

eccles. (1705), t. x, pp. 703-16.
Ceillier, Auteurs sacres (most conveniently in the

edition of i860), vi, pp. 329-30.
A. Eberhard in Bursian's Jahresbericht, iii (1877),

pp. 544-6 (review of Haupt's text).
H. Usener in Legenden der heiligen Pelagia (1879).
J. Draeseke in Hilgenf eld's Zeitschrift fur wissen-

schaftliche Theologie, xxxi (1888), pp 352-74.

x Bibliography

The same in Zeitschrift fur kirchliche Wissenschaft

und kirchliches Leben (1888), pp. 20-40.
The same in his Gesammelte patristische Unter-

suchungen (1889), pp. 208 sq. (reprint of the

previous article).
The same in Wochenschriftfiir classische Philologie,

1896, p. 374 (review of the Teubner edition).
A. Ehrhard in Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 1897,

pp. 170-2 (review of the Teubner edition).
A. Nuth, de Marci Diaconi vita Porphyrii episcopi

Gazensis quaestiones historicae et grammaticae.

Bonn Dissertation, 1897. Review of the same

by K. Dieterich in Byzantinische Zeitschrift,

1899, pp. 197, 198.

Gaza and its Cults

K. B. Stark, Gaza und die philist'dische Kiiste, Jena,

1852.
Drexler, art. Mamas in Roscher's Ausfuhrliches

Lexikon der griech. u. rom. Mythologie, ii. 2377 ff.

(1894-7).
M. A. Meyer, History of the City of Gaza, New

York, 1907.
Benzinger, art. Gaza in Pauly-Wissowa-Kroll,

Real-Encyclopddie der class. Alter tumswiss. vii.

880 ff. (1910).
G. F. Hill, Some Palestinian Cults of the Graeco-

Roman Age, in Proc. Brit. Acad., v. 191 2.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

THE city of Gaza, in which most of the
events related by Mark the Deacon took
place, had in his day passed the meridian of
its long history. It is first heard of some nine-
teen hundred years before that time, when
we learn that it opened its gates to the
Pharaoh Thothmes III on his way to the
conquest of Syria. He made it his base of
operations on this campaign. Whenever the
city is mentioned during the next three
centuries, it is as a possession of the Egyptians.
And even to the present day, lying as it does
on the borders of Palestine towards Egypt,
it retains a strong Egyptian element in its
character. After the Egyptians, however,
about 1 200 B.C., came another conquering
race, the Philistines, making on the city an
impression which it preserved even through
later Egyptian or Syrian domination down to
the period of the Roman Empire. To most
of us, whose only authority for the history

xiv Life of Porphyry

of Palestine is the Bible, Gaza is essentially
the city of the Philistines ; and not without
reason, although we must remember that it
was of earlier origin, and that the earliest
stratum, Canaanitish or Syrian or Arabian,
or whatever it may have been, always under-
lay the Egyptian and the Philistine. To
understand the history of the place it is even
more important to realize that the Jewish
element did not enter into its making. In
fact Gaza, much more than her sister Ascalon,
showed herself consistently hostile to the Jews
whenever she came into contact with them.
We need not go back, for our present pur-
poses, earlier than to Hellenistic times. When
Jonathan Maccabaeus, at the time of the wars
between Demetrius II and Antiochus VI,
made an expedition through Philistia, the
people of Ascalon ' met him honourably.
From whence he went to Gaza, but they of
Gaza shut him out ; wherefore he laid siege
unto it, and burned the suburbs thereof with
fire, and spoiled them. Afterward, when they
of Gaza made supplication unto Jonathan, he
made peace with them, and took the sons of

Introduction xv

their chief men for hostages, and sent them
to Jerusalem'. In 96 B.C., after a desperate
siege of a year's duration, Alexander Jannaeus
succeeded by treachery in getting possession
of the place. He destroyed it utterly : venit
calvitium super Gazam. Whether the new
city which arose about a generation after-
wards was founded on the same site, or, as is
more probable, at some distance off, is a moot
point. But, however that may be, it flourished
not a little. It reckoned its years from the
autumn of 61 b.c ; doubtless that was the
time when it was decided to refound the place.
Pompeius had granted the Gazaeans their
' freedom ', and the foundation of the new
city is generally attributed to Aulus Gabinius,
who went to Syria as proconsul in 57 b.c ;
but the adoption of the era of 61 shows that
plans for the foundation must have been laid
earlier. Gaza had not only an era, but (like
Ascalon) a calendar of its own, which con-
tinued in use at least down to the sixth
century after Christ, and probably until the
Arab conquest in 635.

The place remained proud of its indepen-

xvi Life of Porphyry

dence. The all-absorbing Herod the Great,
it is true, acquired it in 30 b.c; but after
his death it again became autonomous, in the
limited sense in which autonomy was under-
stood of cities in a Roman province. Under
the Roman government, Philistine and Jew
perforce controlled their hatred of each other;
but it is characteristic of their relations that
when an opportunity occurred in the First
Revolt against Rome, in 66, the Jews attacked
and plundered and at least partly burned the
hated city.

Hadrian, who took a great interest in this,
as in all the cities of the provinces, visited it
more than once ; the most important occa-
sion was in 130. For a short time the coins
of the city bear a double date, one reckoned
by the ordinary era, the other from the year
of this visit. A public festival, the ' Hadrianic
panegyris ', was long celebrated annually in
his honour ; and it is probable that the coins
bear this special date because they were issued
annually to supply the unusual demand
created by the influx of visitors to the festival.
It is true that the Paschal Chronicle attributes

Introduction xvii

the foundation of the panegyris to an earlier
visit of the Emperor in 119, but the com-
mencement of the new era in 130 is against
it. To one of Hadrian's visits, also, we may
conjecturally assign the foundation of the
great temple of the god Marnas, which Mark
describes with a mixture of pride and abhor-
rence. For the temple is first represented on
the coins of Hadrian himself. The ' Olym-
pian ' Emperor who founded the great temple
of Zeus on the sacred mountain Gerizim of
the Samaritans would not be slow to recognize
the claims of the ' Cretan Zeus ' of the
Gazaeans. It is said that after the suppression
of a revolt of the Jews in a.d. 119, Hadrian
selected Gaza as the place at which to sell
his Jewish captives ; the Gazaeans doubtless
appreciated this privilege.

For centuries the city continued to prosper
exceedingly. It was officially recognized by
the imperial government as a sacred and
autonomous city, enjoying the right of asylum.
Eventually, we do not know exactly when,
it attained the rank of a Roman 'colony'.
Mark's praise of the city may be read in his

646-20 b

xviii Life of Porphyry

fourth chapter. Antoninus Martyr, about
a century and a half later, calls it civitas
splendida deliciosa. In the fifth and sixth
centuries it was the home of a school of
rhetoric in which Procopius and Choricius
are the most important names. It is, perhaps,
not altogether unfortunate that Mark the
Deacon lived too early to come under the
influence of this school.

We can easily understand that in a place
with a history of this kind Christianity had
a harder struggle than was usual to gain a
footing. The Philistines were even more
stiff-necked than the Jews. It was only
natural that in all towns where interests, not
merely religious or sentimental, but also
financial, were involved in the pagan worships,
the conditions affecting the establishment of
the new religion, even though recognized by
the imperial government, should have been
more arduous than in country places. But
when the town had the peculiar individuality
of Gaza, the fight must have been especially
hard. So it came about that Gaza was one
of the last strongholds of Paganism to fall

Introduction xix

before the advance of Christianity. The
history of that fall is told by Mark.

Unable at first to make much impression
on Gaza itself (for even if Philip entered
there, his mission hardly had any permanent
result), the Christians, so to speak, drew their
lines around it. Little Christian communities
sprang up in the surrounding villages. A
gradually increasing number of believers was
to be found in the city ; though when a person
is described as ' of Gaza ' it is not always
possible to say whether he belonged to the
city or to its district. It may be that, as
Duchesne thinks, the persecution under Dio-
cletian was not so severe in Palestine as else-
where. But of what persecution there was,
Gaza and its district had a respectable share.
Of the seven Gazaean virgins (mentioned by
the Bollandists, August 31) who were put to
the sword, we know no details, not even
whether they suffered in the great persecu-
tion or at another time. But we have the
story of a Christian maiden from the neigh-
bourhood of Gaza, who, threatened with the
stews, protested against the tyrant who

xx Life of Porphyry

allowed such monsters to represent him in
the government of his dominions. She was
put to the torture and burned, together with
another poor woman, Valentina, who had
protested on her behalf. Other martyrs con-
nected with Gaza who figure in the calendar
are Major, apparently a soldier of the Maure-
tanian legion (martyred about 303, and com-
memorated on February 15), Agapius, Thecla,
and Timotheus (all commemorated on August
19) ; and Thee and Maiour (December 19).
Thecla was apparently a native of Bizya in
Thrace, but probably suffered at Gaza under
Diocletian, being thrown to wild beasts.
Agapius's place of martyrdom is doubtful, but
whether he suffered at Gaza or at Caesarea,
he is mentioned by Eusebius along with
Thecla in a way that seems to connect him
with the former place. As to Timotheus,
Eusebius definitely assigns his martyrdom to
Gaza in the second year of the persecution,
that is to say, 304. It is he whose shrine
the Christians of Gaza visited on the occasion
of their prayers for rain, as described by
Mark in c. 20. Thee and Maiour (also men-

Introduction xxi

tioned in the same passage as sharing a shrine
with Timotheus) belong to the later stage of
the persecution, having suffered in 308, under
Maximin II. It is probably a mere coinci-
dence that another Timotheus, a deacon who
was martyred far away in Mauretania, is also
commemorated on the same day with them ;
the idea that it is this martyr whose shrine
is mentioned by Mark in c. 20 is almost
certainly mistaken. Mention is due also to
Alexander, as one of the six misguided en-
thusiasts who, with hands tied, thrust them-
selves on the notice of Urbanus, the governor
of the province, protesting that they were
ready to fight with beasts. It is to be hoped
that they were satisfied when he beheaded
them at Caesarea. But the foremost figure
among the Christians of Gaza in these days
was Silvanus, an army-veteran, and a presby-
ter and confessor of the neighbourhood of the
city. In the fifth year of the persecution he
was sent to the mines at Phaeno, to the south
of the Dead Sea ; for such transportation had
by this time begun to replace more violent
measures of repression. At Phaeno he seems

xxii Life of Porphyry

to have been ordained bishop. Duchesne
suggests that this may have been one of the
irregular ordinations due to Meletius. It
must, however, be noted that Eusebius in one
place calls him ' bishop of the churches round
Gaza '. When the colony at Phaeno was
broken up in 310, the military commandant
got rid of Silvanus by beheading him. The
Christians doubtless regarded him as a martyr,
but Duchesne notes that his execution differs
in kind from the ordinary martyrdom.

Throughout the Great Persecution the
Christians in Gaza itself doubtless continued
to meet secretly for worship, and we hear of
a meeting being raided by the police, and the
prisoners subjected to torture and mutilation.

Of all the places in the neighbourhood of
Gaza, its port, Maiumas, was the most fruitful
field for the work of the Christians. Gaza, it
must be remembered, lay some two and a half
miles inland. The population of ports, the
1 nautical rabble ', is notoriously susceptible
to innovating influences. The old-fashioned
upper class of Gaza, people like that family
which Saint Porphyry converted en bloc, as Mark

Introduction xxiii

tells us in one of his most graphic episodes,
must have looked down with contempt on
the people of Maiumas, most of whom were
probably concerned in the Egyptian trade.
Mark, indeed, lets fall a significant observa-
tion when he says (c. 58) that the Christians
from the seaport were more numerous than
those in the city because there were many
Egyptian wine-merchants there. The Chris-
tianizing influence doubtless came rather from
Alexandria than from Caesarea or any other
place in Palestine, Maiumas was so far out
of sympathy with Gaza in matters of religion,
that — doubtless in response to an appeal on
the part of the inhabitants, and at any rate
on the ground that it was predominantly
Christian — Constantine made it an indepen-
dent city with its own bishop, and named
it after his sister Constantia (according to
Eusebius) or his son Constantius (according
to Sozomen). But if he called it Constantia,
Mark and other writers such as Sozomen
(himself very familiar with the neighbour-
hood) continue to use the old name. That
is not entirely due to the fact that, as we

xxiv Life of Porphyry

shall see, Julian the Philosopher revoked Con-
stantine's grant. In such matters most Syrian
cities were extraordinarily conservative, and
with rare exceptions the original Semitic name
has survived the Greek or Roman into modern
times ; and the name of the port is still pre-
served in the form Maimas.

Besides ordinary communities in the towns
and villages, we hear also of settlements of
hermits and monasteries all round Gaza,
especially at Bethelia. These seem to have
first sprung up in Palestine under the influence
of Saint Hilarion, a native of Thabatha, a few
miles south of Gaza, and the chief figure in
the history of Christianity in this region during
the middle of the fourth century. Born
about 290 or 300, the son of heathen parents,
he was educated in Egypt. There he became
a Christian. But, finding the hermit life, as
represented in Egypt by Saint Antony and
his disciples, to be far from solitary, he returned
at a comparatively early age to Palestine. He
set up as a hermit in a less populous ' desert ',
about seven miles from Maiumas. But even
here solitude was not to be found. His

Introduction xxv

hermitage was greatly frequented ; his dis-
ciples, hermits like himself, are said to have
been many thousands in number. Among
the many miracles which are attributed to
this fantastic ascetic was that of releasing the
racing-chariot, drawn by horses trained by
a Christian of Maiumas, from the influence
of spells cast upon it by his heathen rivals
with the aid of their god Marnas. Hilarion
long remained a centre of popular attraction ;
but before the disturbances in Julian's reign
began he had left Palestine to wander about
the world, and to die in Cyprus. His remains
were translated to Maiumas. Saint Jerome
wrote his life, on the strength of information
supplied by Epiphanius of Salamis, who had
known him both in Palestine and in Cyprus.
Of the official history, so to speak, of the
Church during this period, we can only glean
a little information from a few incidental
references. At the Council of Nicaea in 325,
Gaza — or at any rate the district round it —
was represented by Bishop Asclepas, who was
on the side of Athanasius. He had been
bishop in the time of the great persecution ;

xxvi Life of Porphyry

whether he was actually able to live as such
in Gaza itself is uncertain, although it seems
clear that even then there must have been
a small community of Christians in the city.
But now, probably soon after 325, arose the
first church, which Mark in c. 20 calls the
' old church '. As regards Asclepas, his ortho-
doxy exposed him to the attacks of the
Arianizing Eastern bishops, who actually de-
posed him (on the ground of having over-
thrown an altar), perhaps as early as 326,
appointing in his place one Quintianus.
Nevertheless, he appeared at the Council of
Tyre in 335 ; and, from the encyclical letters
afterwards written by the Eastern bishops
when they retired from the Council of Sar-
dica, it would appear that he had returned to
his see, and violent scenes had ensued. Like
Athanasius and many other objects of Arian
persecution, he betook himself to Pope Julius
at Rome. The Roman Council of 340 quashed
the judgement against him, and again in
342 — if that is the date of the Council of
Sardica — he was once more declared inno-
cent, and returned to Gaza.

Introduction xxvii

Julian the Philosopher (360-3) thought
Constantine's action in regard to Maiumas
of sufficient importance to require that he
should reverse it ; and the port was once
more made subject to Gaza. Sozomen tells
us that the Gazaeans brought a suit against
the people of Maiumas, and that Julian
decided against the latter, which was deprived
of its former name (by which is doubtless
meant Constantia, not Maiumas) and received
the appellation of ' seaside quarter of Gaza '.
That description is used by Mark, sometimes
alone, once with the explanation that it is
the same as Maiumas. Both places were under
the same civil governors and officials. But
ecclesiastically they remained distinct ; for
of course Julian simply ignored the Christian
Church in any reconstitution of affairs. An
attempt by a later Bishop of Gaza (some time
in the last quarter of the fourth century) to
absorb Maiumas into his diocese was met by
the declaration of the provincial synod that
Maiumas, as the elder of the two places in
the Christian faith, should not be deprived of
its independence. So Maiumas continued to

xxviii Life of Porphyry

be governed by its own bishops until the fifth
century, and perhaps later. The only occupant
of the see known to fame in the fourth century
is Saint Zeno, who died about 400.

Julian's reactionary measures were accom-
panied by an anti-Christian outbreak. The
basilica of Gaza, like those of Ascalon,
Berytus, and other cities, was burned, and
some blood was shed. From Theodoret and
the Paschal Chronicle we learn that in 362
presbyters and virgins were murdered and
their corpses given to be devoured by swine.
Sozomen tells vividly the story of the rioting,
and of the martyrdom of Saints Eusebius,
Nestabus, and Zeno. When the riot broke
out, these men were dragged from the house
in which they had taken refuge, and cast into
prison. The citizens then held an uproarious
meeting in the theatre, after which they ran
to the prison, took the unfortunate Christians
out, and murdered them with every circum-
stance of brutality. Another Christian,
Nestor, was maltreated at the same time, but
his personal beauty excited the compassion
of the mob, who cast him out of the city

Introduction xxix

before he was quite dead. He was carried
to the house of Zeno, the cousin of the three
other murdered men, and afterwards Bishop
of Maiumas ; but he died while his wounds
were being dressed. This Zeno, himself in
danger of the same fate, had fled to the neigh-
bouring Anthedon. There the heathen, more
merciful than the Gazaeans, only scourged
him ; he was able to escape to Maiumas,
where he lay hid until the danger had passed.
The bodies of Eusebius, Nestabus, and Zeno
were burned by the heathen, who, knowing
the Christian affection for relics, and doubt-
less fearing their efficacy, mingled such bones
as escaped the flames with the bones of camels
and asses. But their precaution, the legend
says, was vain ; for the identity of the bones
was divinely revealed to a Christian woman
who was living at Gaza (though she was not
a native of the city). She gathered them
reverently together in a pot and conveyed
them to the future Bishop of Maiumas — still
divinely directed, for she knew him not before.
Zeno kept the bones until, in the reign of
Theodosius, he was ordained bishop ; then

xxx Life of Porphyry

he built a house of prayer outside the walls
of the city, and placed under the altar the
bones of the three martyrs and of Nestor the
Confessor.

The governor of the province very properly
arrested the ringleaders of the riot and held
them to trial for sedition and murder. But
he was reckoning without his Emperor.
Julian, we are told, remarking that the
Gazaeans had only retaliated on the Gali-
laeans for past offences, relieved the too
zealous governor of his office.

If Sozomen is to be believed, Saint Hilarion
also narrowly escaped death on the same occa-
sion ; but his enemies found him fled. There
is, however, some reason to think that he may
have left Palestine some time before.

Saint Ambrose (writing in 388) attributes
the burning of the churches at this time to the
Jews, but the ordinary Gazaean population
scarcely needed their assistance in such an
affair.

It would seem that the basilica was not
utterly destroyed, unless that which Mark
calls the ' old church ' was a second building,

Introduction xxxi

which is hardly probable. Bishop Irenion,
who was present at the Synod of Antioch in
363, and died about 393, built the bishop's
house, and also a church which was called
' Peace ' (c. 18). It was during his occupation
of the see that Saint Paula, Jerome's friend,
visited Gaza (in 386). His successor Aeneias
filled the see for a very short time, being
followed by Porphyry in 395.

Thus, when Porphyry came upon the scene,
there were already two churches and a bishop's
house in existence. Yet the Christians were
very few in numbers. And the pagans had
no less than eight temples for public worship,
not to mention the idols in private houses
and in the villages.

Most of the heathen deities with whom
the Christians had to contend in Gaza are
familiar to all students of antiquity — the Sun,
Aphrodite, Apollo, the Maiden (i.e. Perse-
phone, rather than the consort of Marnas),
Hecate, the Fortune of the City, and some
hero who was worshipped at a shrine
called the Heroon. These are all mentioned
by Mark (c. 64). The Fortune of the City

xxxii Life of Porphyry

was represented, as Stephanus of Byzantium
and Eustathius tell us, with a heifer beside
her, for Io ; and so indeed she appears on
local coins.

But the chief god of Gaza, as is abundantly
evident, was Marnas, the ' Cretan Zeus '.
Though he is forgotten now, his worship was
of the greatest importance in Palestine. A
dedication to him has been found at Canatha
in the Hauran. It is significant that, as
Lampridius incidentally records, the Syrian
Emperor Severus Alexander invoked Marnas
and Jupiter in the same breath.

This deity is of sufficient historical interest
to justify some discussion of his nature in this
place. His name is generally explained as of
Syrian origin, and equivalent to ' Our Lord '.
Of the truth of this etymology there is grave
doubt ; the Syrian appearance of the word is
probably fortuitous. Nor need we look to
any connexion with a word for rain ; Mark's
statement (c. 19) that Marnas was regarded
as the lord of rain means no more than that
he was a sky-god or a god of fertility, as every
local ' Zeus ' or ' Baal ' was. The true con-

Introduction xxxiii

nexion is more likely to be with a Cretan
word, which is preserved in the forms marna
(recorded as the word for 'maiden'), and
' Britomartis ' (which is glossed as * sweet
maiden '). But how, it will be asked, can
a word meaning ' maiden ' have anything to
do with Zeus ? The answer is that the name
' Marnas ' must stand to ' marna ' as ' Kouros',
the young man (under which name we know
that the Cretans worshipped the young Zeus),
to ' Kora ', the maiden goddess. Marnas and
Marna, then, would be the young Zeus and
his young consort. Now the worship of a
young Zeus, coupled in legend with a goddess
or nymph, sometimes called Europa, some-
times Dictynna, sometimes Britomartis, is
especially characteristic of Crete. Dictynna
or Britomartis is a sort of maiden goddess of
the woods and wilds ; the Greeks identified
her naturally with Artemis the huntress. As
the lover of Britomartis we find Minos ; but
Minos is merely a hypostasis of the Cretan
Zeus.

Were it not supported by other evidence,
one might hesitate to press the philological

546-20 c

xxxiv Life of Porphyry

connexion of Marnas with Crete (for philo-
logical speculations are notoriously precarious,
and the weight of the opinion of Semitic
scholars is probably against us). But first
comes the definite statement, found in more
than one ancient writer, that Marnas was the
Cretan Zeus. Next, there is the tradition
that Gaza itself was a Cretan foundation. It
was actually called Minoa, as having been
founded by Minos. True, our authority for
this statement, Stephanus of Byzantium, is
late ; but when his statements are not in
themselves absurd or contradictory of known
facts, they are to be treated with respect.
That the people of Gaza, in Roman times at
least, believed in the tradition, is certain ;
they actually represented Minos on their
coins. This tradition has been treated with
contempt by scholars of the class, now happily
decreasing in numbers, who believe that Greek
tradition is never based on fact of any kind,
and is not worth considering in the light of
archaeological evidence. We have been told
that the tradition is an invention of antiquaries
of the Graeco-Roman age. If so, then those

Introduction xxxv

antiquaries must have possessed a curious
faculty of divination. They can hardly have
been acquainted with the old identification
of the Cherethites with the Cretans, or with
Jeremiah's significant description of the
Philistines, as ' the remnant of the country
of Caphtor', any more than they can have
guessed at what the spade has lately revealed
to us.

Recent archaeological research in Crete and
Philistia proves, beyond any possible doubt,
a connexion between the two countries in
Minoan times. Whether the Philistines went
to Crete from Palestine or came to Palestine
from Crete (which is the more likely), the
connexion between the two countries is now
definitely established by the pottery which has
been found in excavations such as those at
Gezer, Bethshemesh and Tell-es-Safi (Gath).

So much for the general connexion between
Crete and Philistia. Now for Marnas. Al-
though the coins on which he is represented
are miserable works of art, and it is difficult
to be certain of details, yet this much seems
to be established. First, he seems to be a

C2

xxxvi Life of Porphyry

youthful god. The attributes which he holds
are so obscure that it is perhaps preferable
not to conjecture what they are ; but one of
them looks like a bow, and his general aspect,
like that of the young Zeus Kasios at Pelusium,
is Apolline. Secondly, as the figure on the
title-page of this book shows, he is accompanied
in his temple by a goddess in the attitude and
with the attributes of the Greek huntress-
goddess, Artemis. After what we have read
of the Cretan Britomartis, will it be doubted
that we have here, in Marnas and the Artemis-
like goddess, any other than the Cretan Zeus
and his consort Britomartis, or Dictynna :
Kouros and Kora ?

The Zeus Kasios of Pelusium, just men-
tioned, is connected by more than coincidence
with Zeus-Marnas of Gaza. They are both
young, Apolline gods. Further, when Epi-
phanius is describing the worship of human
beings as gods by the heathen, two of the
instances he chooses are ' Marnas the slave of
Asterios ' at Gaza (be it noted that Asterios
is one of the names of the Cretan Zeus) and
' Kasios the ship-owner at Pelusium '. What

Introduction xxxvii

euhemeristic interpretation of these two cults
he had in his mind is unfortunately unknown
to us ; but the juxtaposition of the two is
suggestive. Rather more vague in its sugges-
tion, but not negligible, is the statement of
Stephanus and Eustathius that the stretch of
sea from Gaza to Pelusium was known as the
Ionian Sea. It is true that they derive the
name from Io, who was worshipped at Gaza.
But in all probability it really means the
Greek sea, the sea of Javan, the coast of which
received colonists (and their cults) from the
western isles, such as Crete.

The fall of the Marneion removed the last
stronghold of Paganism in this part of the
world. The Serapeion at Alexandria had
fallen in 391 ; the destruction of the temples
of Heliopolis and Apameia had followed soon
after. ' Now ', wrote Jerome to Laeta from
his cell at Bethlehem, ' the Egyptian Serapis
also has become Christian ; Marnas at Gaza
mourns in prison, and expects in dread the
instant destruction of his temple.' And later,
in his commentary on Isaiah, in 411, he
triumphantly proclaims : ' the Serapeum at
546.20 c 3

xxxviii Life of Porphyry

Alexandria and the temple of Mamas at Gaza
have risen up again into churches of the
Lord.' With that, although it would be idle
to pretend that Paganism was rooted out, we
may say that it ceased to be an established
faith. And by about a century later it seems
to have completely disappeared from Gaza,
for the biography of Peter the Iberian, Bishop
of Maiumas in the fifth century, written
about 500, shows no sign of it.

Of Mark's book, as literature, it is not
necessary to say much. Draeseke has sug-
gested that the writer may have been ac-
quainted with the works of Dionysius the
Areopagite ; but the resemblances (as of the
vision of Porphyry in the Place of the Skull
to the vision of Carpus related by Dionysius
in his eighth Letter) on which he bases his
theory seem quite insufficient to support it.
We must take the book as it is. Its trans-
parent sincerity has won for it admiration,
even in the bald Latin translation by which
alone it was known until the first publication
of the Greek text by Haupt in 1874. Graces
of style it has none ; the vocabulary is limited

Introduction xxxix

and monotonous. Nevertheless, after the
somewhat clumsy introduction, there is not
a dull line in it, and it is unsurpassed in direct-
ness and vividness of narration by any bio-
graphy of a similar subject. The author's
point of view is, of course, narrow ; the great
events of his time do not interest him, except
in so far as they touch the interests of his
little corner of Palestine. But the statements
that Praylius was Bishop of Jerusalem when
Porphyry was ordained presbyter, and that
Theodosius II was proclaimed Emperor from
his birth, seem to be the only positive historical
errors in the text. On the date of the birth
of Theodosius II it would appear that he is
right, and the great majority of other writers
wrong. His omissions are, however, somewhat
extraordinary. Draeseke has pointed out, for
instance, how astonishing it is that he makes
no mention of the death of Eudoxia, to whom
the Christians of Gaza were so deeply in-
debted, and who did not live to hear of the
completion of the church which was named
after her. Yet she had said in his hearing,
' Remember always me and my child.'

xl Life of Porphyry

It is hardly necessary to say that the
genuineness of the book has been impugned ;
but the names of the sceptics, whose argu-
ments were sufficiently refuted long ago, need
not be disinterred from the obscurity in which
they lie.

Mark tells us little about himself, save that
he was by profession a calligrapher, and came
from Asia to Jerusalem, where he became the
disciple of Porphyry. The saint sent him to
Thessalonica to settle his affairs. About 397
he was ordained deacon, and in the next year
sent on a mission to Constantinople, to obtain
a decree against the pagan temples of Gaza.
He accompanied Porphyry again to Con-
stantinople on the more successful mission of
401-2. His book, in which he reported at
length the dispute between Porphyry and the
unfortunate Manichaean Julia, is lost to us.
It must have been interesting, but one doubts
whether it would have been impartial. For
Mark has the faults of his qualities, and one
can hardly expect him to show mercy to
Arian or Manichaean, any more than to
' them of the idol-madness '. He has a bound-

Introduction xli

less admiration for the irrepressible Barochas.
Barochas, indeed, is the second hero of the
book. Whenever he appears he seems to be
either smiting the heathen hip and thigh or,
more often, being beaten by them to within
an inch of his life. ' Quel homme, ce Baruch ! '
we exclaim with Lafontaine. But if Mark is
carried away by enthusiasm for the godly zeal
of this champion of the faithful, or for the
ascetic extravagances of Porphyry or Salamtha,
the old Adam is by no means dead in him.
We catch a glimpse of him when we read
(c. 42) of the beauty of the blushing Eudoxia
or (c. 88) of the handsome young men and
women who support the Manichaean Julia ;
and it is clear to any one who reads with
intelligence the story of Salamtha that Mark
was, innocently enough, affected by the charm
of the maid. It is this sympathy in the writer
which is his most attractive quality to the
modern reader.

The picture of Porphyry which Mark draws
is singularly human. It would be absurd to
judge the bishop by modern standards, as does
the German historian who complains of his

xlii Life of Porphyry

brutality in the persecution of the heathen.
It is true that he paved the street with sacred
stones from the Marneion, and that he cursed
the Manichaean Julia, so that she fell down
in a fit and died. He thus even surpassed the
Christian sophist Aetius, whose victory in
debate over Aphthonius the Manichaean
caused the latter to die of chagrin, though,
it would seem, not so suddenly as Julia. Such
remarkable sensitiveness on the part of the
Manichaeans to defeat in argument (or abuse)
may have helped to console their Christian
adversaries for the fact that Diocletian's
decree, imposing the death penalty on adher-
ence to the doctrines of Manes, was never
carried into effect. ' There is no hostilitie so
excellent', said Montaigne, ' as that which is
absolutely Christian.' Nevertheless, one has
read of more brutal saints than Porphyry ;
and usually, if Mark is not a downright liar,
he acted under considerable provocation :

Cet animal est tres mechant ;
Quand on l'attaque, il se defend.

From the data given by his biographer, it
is calculated that Porphyry must have been

Introduction xliii

born at Thessalonica about a.d. 347 ; for he
was about forty-five years old when he was
made presbyter; he was ordained bishop after
being a presbyter for three years, and died in
420 after having filled the see for very nearly
twenty-five years. For all the events of his
life Mark is almost the only authority. He
fails, however, to mention that the bishop was
present in 415 at the Council of Diospolis,
at which the Pelagian heresy was condemned.
He appears to have been succeeded (though
perhaps not directly) by Natiras or Netoras,
who is known to have been bishop in 431.

Saint Porphyry is commemorated on Feb-
ruary 26.

THE LIFE OF SAINT PORPHYRY
BISHOP OF GAZA

54C-20

THE LIFE OF SAINT PORPHYRY
BISHOP OF GAZA

IT is a good thing to behold with our own
eyes the contendings of holy men, and their
godly zeal and desire, for the sight thereof
causeth us to love them. Nevertheless the
narrations of such as have known them truly
likewise furnish no small profit, stealing into
the souls of them that listen. Sight indeed
is more trustworthy than hearing, but hearing
also persuadeth, if the tale be told by such as
be worthy of belief. If then in the narration
of profitable matters no heedlessness were
found, neither were the seed of falsehood sown
among the truth, the writing down of such
things were superfluous ; for the truth would
suffice for edification, seeing that the seed
thereof would be sown continually and the
ears of one generation receive it from another.
But seeing that time breedeth corruption,
either through forgetfulness or through heed-
lessness, I am of necessity come to the present

b 2

4 Life of Porphyry

writing, in order that in the long course of
time so saintly a man, I mean the holy T a
Porphyry, may not be forgotten. For to
remember his righteous deeds is a medicine
and a defence unto them which hear.
2 For it is strange that tragic poets and other
such writers should spend their speech on
laughter and old wives' fables, but that we
should suffer men who are saints and worthy
of remembrance to be given over to forget-
fulness. What punishment shall I not justly
suffer, if I commit not to writing the life of
a man, so beloved of God, that may teach
us to love wisdom through him, who strove
zealously after the heavenly life ? We shall tell
the history of his wars and his standing up
not only against the leaders and champions of
the madness of idols, but even against a whole
people filled full of all madness. For he
remembered the words of the blessed apostle,
whereby he saith : 1 ' Take up the whole
armour of God, that ye may be able to with-
stand in the terrible day, and having overcome
all to stand.' Having put on this whole
1 Eph. vi. 13.

Bishop of Gaya y

armour the said apostle went in unto the
fight ; but Porphyry also, having like adver-
saries, and as mighty, and being set to a con-
flict like unto the apostle's, was crowned with
an equal victory, and did raise up a trophy in
the midst of the city of the Gazaeans, even
that holy church of Christ which he did found.

3 But that which gave him the victory was not
his human nature, but his purpose, which
drew unto itself the divine grace : for the
love of Christ being exceeding hot within him,
he had power to suffer and to do all things.
How many warlike onslaughts did this man
abide at the hands of his adversaries ; how
many plottings and mockings did he endure !

But because it is not possible to tell fully 3
all things concerning that famous man, since

. they are many, and to the many seem to be
incredible, I will set forth a few things which
I remember, having lived with him for a long
time, and enjoyed converse with that blessed
and awful soul that now dwelleth with the
angels. Who then would not justly praise
this man, who possessed in himself all
manner of virtue ? I know indeed that no

6 Life of Porphyry

words could attain unto the virtue of such
a man ; nevertheless I must endeavour, being
of good courage through his holy prayers.
But I will write his praises not in high-sound-
ing words ; for elegant words are not wont to
adorn the life of such men, but rather doth
the virtue of their works magnify the speech
itself wherein they are told. Wherefore I also,
being encouraged by the holy prayers of the
said saintly man, do approach this writing,
asking through them for grace and help from
the Lord Jesus Christ, that I may be able,
whatsoever be the occasion, to set forth the
virtue of the holy man. But I pray them,
who do chance to read this writing, not to
disbelieve the things that are said therein ;
for I was an eye-witness of the virtue of the
man, living with him and faring with him by T4
sea, and being evil entreated with him until
the last day of his life in this world. But here
let me make a beginning of the telling of my
story.
4 Gaza is a city of Palestine that is on the
borders of Egypt ; and it is of no small
account, being a populous city and notable.

t

Bishop of Ga^a 7

But there flourished in it about that time the
madness of men after idols. The bishopric
of this city did Porphyry, of whom we tell the
praise, receive. For his country indeed he
had in heaven Jerusalem (for therein was his
name written) and on earth Thessalonica ;
and his family was noble. Now there came
upon him a divine desire to leave his country
and the splendour of his family and countless
riches, and to cleave unto the solitary life; and
taking ship from the city of the Thessalonians
he cometh unto Egypt. And straightway he
went to Scetis, and after a few days is deemed
worthy of the honourable habit. And when
he had sojourned there with the holy fathers
for the space of five years, again there entered
into him another divine desire to worship
the holy and venerable places of God ; and
when he had gone thither and worshipped,
he departed into the parts about Jordan and
dwelt in a cave, sojourning there also likewise
five years in much affliction. And by reason
of the great dryness and changeableness in
"s those parts, he fell into a great sickness. But
seeing himself to be sick unto death, by the

8 Life of Porphyry

dispensation (of God) he beseecheth one of
his acquaintance to take him up to Jerusalem.
Now his disease was a hardening of the liver
with a continuous fever, very slight. And
though such a disease prevailed over him and
pierced his entrails without ceasing, and his
body was consumed away, yet he ceased not
daily to go around the holy places, being bowed
down and without strength to hold his body
upright, but leaning upon a staff.

Now at that time it chanced that I also
came by ship from Asia to worship the
venerable places, and having come there
I sojourned a long time, living by the work of
my hands ; for I was skilled in the art of hand-
writing. And beholding the holy man going
continually to the Resurrection of Christ and
to the other places of prayer, I marvelled
that in so great weakness of body he forbore
not so to vex himself.

And on a day meeting him on the steps of
the Testimony, that was founded by the
blessed Emperor Constantine, seeing that he
could not go forward on his feet, I ran and
stretched forth my hand to him and besought

Bishop of Ga^a 9

him to lean upon it and go up the steps. But
T6he would not, saying: 'It is not just that
I who go my way to ask pardon for my sins
should lean upon the hands of another ; but
let God see my labour, brother, that in his
unspeakable compassion he may have pity on
me also.' Therefore he went his way and
hearkened to the divine sayings, lending ear
unto the doctors, and partaking always of the
mystic table he would return again to his
lodging. What manner of life he lived,
indeed, was manifest, for he despised his sick-
ness in such wise that one accounted him to
have the disease not in his own but in another
man's body ; for the hope of God made it
light for him to bear.

But this alone did grieve and hurt him, 6
that his superfluity should remain and not
be sold, according to the saying of the
Gospel, and distributed among the poor.1
Now the cause of this hindrance was that
his brethren were children when he departed
out of his own country. Being therefore
grieved about this matter, he asketh.me, who
1 Matt. xix. 21.

io Life of Porphyry

was now familiar with him (for I served
him because of his weakness), to take ship to
Thessalonica and divide his possessions with
his brethren ; and giving me a letter with
his commandments and commending me unto
the Lord he let me depart, giving me a very
little for my expenses ; for he had but small
wealth at that time. Straightway I went
down to Ascalon and found a ship and put
to sea, and after thirteen days, having made
a fair voyage, we came to Thessalonica; and T7
having shown the written commandment
I divided the possessions with his brethren.
And I sold to them the goods which were my
lot for three thousand pieces of gold, but the
raiment and the silver vessels I brought with
me and other pieces of gold, a thousand and
four hundred ; and when I had gathered all
together in the space of three months I put
to sea again, and came after twelve days to
the port of Ascalon ; and there having hired
beasts of burden and laden them I went up
unto the holy city. And straightway when he
beheld me the thrice blessed man embraced
me with joy and tears (for joy also can cause

Bishop ofGa^a

ii

tears to flow) ; but I knew him not ; for his
body was very strong and his countenance
ruddy. And I turned my eyes about looking
often upon him ; but he, seeing it, smiled
pleasantly and said : ' Marvel not, brother 7
Mark, seeing me whole and strong, but learn
the cause of my being healed and then marvel
exceedingly at the unspeakable loving-kindness
of Christ, how the things whereof men have
despaired are by him made straight.' And
I besought him to tell me the cause of his
being healed and how he had cast out such a
disease. And he answered me : ' About forty
days ago when I was keeping the vigil of
the holy day of the Lord, an unspeakable
pain of the liver gat hold upon me, and being
T8 unable to endure the anguish I went and lay
down near the sacred Skull, and by reason of
the great pain I fell as it were into a trance.
And I see the Saviour nailed upon the Cross
and one of the thieves with him hanging
upon another cross, and I begin to cry out
and speak the words of the thief : x " Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy
1 Luke xxiii. 42.

12 Life of Porphyry

kingdom." And the Saviour answereth and
saith to the thief that is hanging : " Go down
from the cross and save him that is lying there,
even as thou wast saved." And the thief

" came down from the cross and took me in his
arms and kissed me, and stretching forth his
right hand raised me up, saying, " Come to
the Saviour." And straightway I rose up and
ran to him, and I see him coming down from
the Cross and saying to me, " Take this wood
and keep it." And I took the same precious
wood and lifted it up, and straightway I came
to myself out of my trance, and from that same
hour there was no more pain in me, neither
is the place of the disease manifest.'

8 But I, when I had heard these things,
marvelled exceedingly, and glorified God, who
ever sheweth mercy unto them that call upon
him, and much more unto them that truly
and sincerely pray to him.

But from thenceforth I did more diligently
serve the man (for I held him to be verily the
servant of God). And when I had restored
unto him all the things that I had brought,
I abode with him, serving him and enjoying

Bishop of Ga\a 1 3

his spiritual conversation. For he was verily
a blameless man, very meek, pitiful, having
also, if ever any man, skill to judge the Holy
T 9 Scripture and to resolve the hard questions
therein (nay, neither was he lacking in out-
ward learning), answering and stopping the
mouths of unbelievers and heretics, a lover
of the poor, compassionate, easily moved to
tears, honouring old men as fathers,1 and
young men as brethren, and little ones as his
own children, behaving himself gently, and
lowly in spirit and in speech, not for a pre-
tence but in truth (for there was no guile 2
in him), exceeding temperate, so that he was
delivered utterly from all passions, knowing
not anger, remembering not evil, letting not
the sun go down upon his wrath,3 having all
his passions dead, save only that indignation
which he stirred up against the enemies of the
faith.

Now when he had received from me the 9
money and the other things which I had
brought, and sold the raiment and had made

1 Cp. 1 Tim. v. 1. * Cp. John i. 47.

8 Cp.Eph.iv. 26.

14 Life of Porphyry

precious vessels out of the more part of the
silver money, he gave away the remainder
within a little time to them that were in need,
not only in the holy city, but also in other
cities and villages and monasteries, especially to
them that are in Egypt ; for the monasteries
there were very poor. But to the strangers
also that dwelt in the place he became
a second Abraham.1 Thus it came to pass
that in a very short time he gave away all his
superfluity, so that he himself was in want of
his daily food. Therefore he applied himself
unto the craft of the shoemaker, dressing and
sewing hides, in all ways after the pattern Tio
of that divine apostle,2 who would not eat
bread for naught ; and notwithstanding he
could have earned his living from some other
handicraft, yet he desired in all things to
follow the example of the aforesaid glorious
man, in afflictions and labours and persecu-
tions and perils by sea and risings up of the
heathen.3 But I besought him to live with
me in common (for I had a superfluity out of

1 Cp. Gen. xviii. i f . * Cp. 2 Thess. iii. 8.

3 Cp. 2 Cor. vi; 4 ; xi. 26.

Bishop of Ga^a 1 5-

mine occupation), but he suffered it not,
saying, ' We brought nothing into this world,
neither can we carry anything out.' l And
again he would say, ' If a man worketh not,
neither shall he eat.' 2 But I waxed bold, and
said unto him, ' Wherefore then when thou
hadst plenty didst thou not work nor suffer
me to work ? ' And he answered me, ' That
former work which I did was greater by many
times than that which I do now ; for this
present work sustaineth one or two, but the
former did sustain countless numbers, and not
only those multitudes, but did also provide
spiritual sustenance for mine own soul.'

Now these things being so, Praylius, who 10
held the bishopric of the holy places, heard
of the name and the life of the saintly Por-
phyry, and sending for him very instantly
ordained him to the office of Elder, and more-
over committed unto him the safe-keeping of
the precious wood of the Cross. Then did
11 we know that those things had been fulfilled
for him which he heard in his trance, when he
beheld the Lord on the Cross and the robber
1 j Tim. vi. 7. a 2 Thess. iii. 10.

1 6 Life of Porphyry

with him, and the Master saying, ' Take this
wood and keep it for me.' But the blessed
Porphyry, when he received this ordination,
was about forty and five years old. But
though he was deemed worthy of this honour,
he changed not his former manner of life, but
continued in mortification and affliction of
the body, in fasting and watching.1 His food
was foul bread and herbs, and these after the
going down of the sun ; but on the other
holy days he ate at the sixth hour, partaking
also of oil and cheese and steeped pulse ;
and he would take withal one cup of wine
mixed with water, and this by reason of
sickness in his bowels.2 This course and rule
did he keep continually for all the days of
his life.
H Now after three years that he had been
ordained, it falleth out that the bishop of the
afore-mentioned city of Gaza passed away from
this life ; he was Aeneias, who was bishop for
a very short time. And before Aeneias was
Irenion, who also himself hath become a
fellow-citizen of the angelic powers, whose
1 Cp. 2 Cor. vi. 5. a Cp. 1 Tim. v. 23.

Bishop of Ga^a 17

praises it is riot possible to go aside from this
matter and write, but a special treatise were
necessary to describe in order the life of the
said glorious Irenion, and we leave it for other
writers who have full knowledge of his life.
When therefore the afore-mentioned holy
T 12 man had been laid to sleep, they who were
then Christians, being few and easily to be
numbered, were gathered together with the
clergy, and took counsel for certain days into
whose hands they should commit the bishopric,
but achieved nothing ; for contention pre-
vailed among them, some desiring some of the
clergy, and others some of the lay-folk ; for
in sooth among the lay-folk also there were
some of honourable and holy life. When
therefore there arose a great confusion and
the matter went nothing forward, at last they
agreed that five of the clergy and as many
of the notable lay-folk should go out to the
metropolitan high-priest and ask of him a
bishop, whomsoever the Holy Ghost might
reveal unto him.

Now he that held the high-priesthood at 12
that time was John, who also was a man of

546-20 c

1 8 Life of Porphyry .

good repute and adorned with all virtue.
When therefore the Gazaeans came unto him,
they besought him to give them a priest which
should be able by deeds and by speech to with-
stand the idolaters. And when he had heard
them he straightway proclaimed a fast, and
after three days the Lord revealed to him -
concerning the blessed Porphyry ; and he
writeth a letter to the afore-mentioned holy
Praylius, the bishop of Jerusalem, to send
the blessed Porphyry to him, because of a
certain question concerning the Scripture
which was required to be explained by him.
For the blessed man was skilful to explain
everything that was accounted difficult in the
Holy Scripture, and this power he had by
the grace of the Holy Ghost. And Praylius,
beloved of God, putting faith in the writing T13
of the blessed John, sent Porphyry away, en-
joining him that he should not tarry more
!3 than seven days. But when the blessed
Porphyry heard the signification of the letter
that was written by the most holy John, at
first he was troubled, but afterward he said :
' The will of God be done.' And having

Bishop of Ga^a i 9

called me to him on that evening he saith to
me : ' Brother Mark, let us go and worship
the holy places and the precious Cross ; for
much time shall pass away before we shall
worship them again.' And I said : ' Where-
fore sayest thou thus, Father ? ' And he
answered and said : ' Yesternight I beheld
the Saviour, saying unto me, " That which
I committed unto thy trust restore thou
again. For I desire thee to be joined unto
a woman who is lowly indeed but virtuous.
Do thou take her and adorn her, that she may
forget her former poverty. For though she
chance to be lowly, yet is she not a stranger
unto me, but mine own sister. But do thou
watch carefully lest, having a wife and taking
care of thine house, thou bring therein aught
of injustice or violence or unlawfulness ; for
thou wilt both kindle my wrath and grieve
her ; for she also hath no pleasure in such
things. But do thou only have a goodly zeal,
and all things shall be provided unto thee
from whence thou hast no expectation."
These things did my Master Christ reveal unto
me yesternight, and I fear lest, desiring in

c 2

20 Life of Porphyry

some way to make atonement for mine own T 14
sins, atonement for the sins of many others
also be laid upon me. Nevertheless it is not
possible to gainsay the will of God.'
14 Having said this he went forth, and I with
him, and when we had worshipped the holy
places and the precious Cross, and he had
prayed and wept much, he placed in the
golden coffer the precious and life-giving Cross
and made it fast, and went forth ; and going
to the blessed Praylius, the bishop, he com-
mitted unto him the keys, and having received
from him a blessing, and a commendation
unto God, he went forth. So coming to
our lodging, we make ourselves ready. And
having hired three beasts, and taking provision
for the journey, we went forth; but the pro-
visions were all that was in the house. And
there were five of us on the journey, the
blessed man himself and I and two ass-drivers,
and another young servant, called Barochas ;
whom the blessed man a little time before
found in the street, cast out and in the utter-
most peril, and taking him up he received him
into his house, and having spent much upon

Bishop of Ga\a 2 1

him, by the help of Christ he made him whole.
Thereafter, then, he abode with him, serving
him with me. But the things which happened
to the God-fearing Barochas I will declare as
my story proceedeth.

Now having journeyed on that day, on the
next we came to Caesarea. But our presence
was bruited abroad through all the city ; for
the blessed man was well known because he
loved the poor. And we went to the inn that
was there.
15 But when the blessed John, the archbishop, 15
heard it, he came running to us, and having
greeted each other and prayed a little, they
sate down. And the archbishop said unto
him : ' Rise up, Brother, for the Lord's sake,
and take food with me, that speedily we may
rise up to keep the vigil of the Holy Day.'
For we had entered on the evening of the
Sabbath. But the blessed Porphyry besought
him to let him go for the evening, by reason
of his weariness after the journey ; and he
said that after his first sleep he would rise up
to keep the vigil. But when the archbishop
would not be persuaded, the blessed man rose

22 Life of Porphyry

up and went forth with him, taking also me
(for we left brother Barochas in the inn with
our cloaks) ; and at his exhortation we did
sup. And having conversed much concerning
things spiritual, and slept a little, we rose up
to keep the vigil.

1 6 But in that night the blessed John sendeth
for the Gazaeans and saith unto them : ' Ye
shall be ready to come forth ; for to-day ye
receive your priest, the man whom the Lord
hath shown, without blame, beloved of God,
boiling over with the faith.' And when it
was morning they seized the blessed man and
ordained him bishop of Gaza. But he wept
much, and would not be satisfied of his tears ;
for he said that he was unworthy of such
a priesthood. And being with difficulty com-
forted by the Gazaeans and the Christians
which were there, he held his peace. And
when we had performed the sacred office of T 16
the Lord's Day, we were again bidden to
taste food with the archbishop.

17 But he enjoined us to depart with all speed,
and when we had spent one other day we
departed. And we slept at Diospolis, and

Bishop of Ga%a 23

thence we came late at night and slowly into
Gaza, being exceeding weary and afflicted.
And the cause of the affliction was this. Hard
by Gaza there are villages beside the road
which are given to the madness of idols. So
the dwellers in these villages agreed together
and strewed all the road with thorns and
prickles, so that one could not pass by, and
poured out filth, and made smoke of other
evil-smelling things, so that we were choked
by the stench and went in peril of being
blinded. Hardly escaping therefore, about the
third hour of the night we entered into
the city. Now this vexation was caused to
the blessed man by a visitation of demons ;
but it vexed him not, for he knew it to be an
ambush of the devil, because he desired to turn
away the just man from his entering in.

So we went to the bishop's house, which 18
was founded by the afore-named saint
Irenion, the bishop, together with the holy
church that is called Irene (Peace). Con-
cerning the occasion whereby it received its
name there be two tales. For the people of
Gaza say that when the city was taken by

24 Life of Porphyry

Alexander the Macedonian, the war by a
certain covenant was there brought to an
end, whence the place was called Peace. This
place the blessed Irenion found to be held in
honour by the Gazaeans, and therein founded T17
the church. So whether for the said reason
or because of the name of the founder, it hath
continued to be so called until the present
time. Thither then went we, unto the
bishop's house founded by him, the which
was passing small.
19 But in that year it fell out that there was
a drought, and all they of the city imputed the
thing to the coming of the blessed man, saying
that ' It was revealed unto us by Marnas that
the feet of Porphyry bring bad luck to the
city '. But when God continued to send no
rain through the first month, which they
call Dios, and also through the second, which
is Apellaios, they were all afflicted. And
they of the idol-madness gathered together
in the Marneion, and made many sacrifices and
prayers for this matter ; for they said that
Marnas was lord of the rains (and they say that
Marnas is Zeus). And they continued seven

Bishop of Ga^a 2?

days saying hymns and going forth with-
out the city to a place called the Place of
Prayer, but they returned again unto their
own works, cast down in spirit, having achieved
naught. After this had so fallen out, the
Christians came together, with men, women,
and children, to the number of two hundred
and four score, and besought the holy Por-
phyry to come forth with them to the Place
of Prayer and make supplication that the rains
might be sent down (for there was already
a famine), and they besought him the more
because the people imputed the drought to
the coming of the blessed man.

So the holy man was persuaded, and having 20
f 18 proclaimed a fast he bade them all to be gathered
together at even in the holy church, that we
might keep the vigil there. And we made
through the whole night thirty prayers and
as many bendings of the knee, besides singing
and the readings. And when it was morning,
taking the sign of the precious Cross to go
before us, we went out with hymns to the
ancient church that is in the west of the city,
which they say was founded by the most

2 6 Life of Porphyry

holy and blessed Asclepas, the bishop, who
suffered many persecutions for the true faith ;
whose life and works are written in the Para-
dise of delight. So when we had come to the
said church, we made as many prayers there
also, and departing thence we went to the
holy shrine of the glorious martyr Timotheus,
wherein are laid also other relics of Maiour the
martyr and Thee the confessor, and having
there made as many prayers and bendings of
the knee we returned again unto the city,
having made on the way three prayers and
three bendings of the knee. But coming nigh
unto the city we found it shut (it was the
ninth hour) ; for the idol-madmen did this,
desiring to scatter the people abroad, in order
that we might not fulfil our supplication.
But when we had abode two hours before the
gate, and there was none to open to us, God
seeing the patience of the people and the
groans and the untold tears, especially of the
holy man, is moved with compassion, as in
the time of the mighty Elias the prophet,1 T 19
and stirreth up a south wind, and the heaven
1 1 [3] Kings xviii. 45.

Bishop of Ga^a 27

is covered with clouds, and lightnings and
thunders begin with the going down of the
sun, and a great rain descendeth, so that it
seemeth to be not drops of water but hail
descending from heaven. But we for our
much joy scarce felt it ; for we had fallen
upon each other's necks.

But certain of the Greeks, when they beheld 21
what marvellous works God wrought for us,
believed and opened the gate and mingled
with us, crying out : ' Christ alone is God,
he alone hath conquered.' And they came
together with us to the holy church ; and
thence the blessed man let them depart in
peace, having sealed them with the seal of
Christ. They were in number one hundred and
twenty and seven, being men seventy-eight,
and women thirty-five, and children fourteen,
of which five were maidens. And we, when
we had offered the perfect sacrifice of thanks-
giving, returned each man in joy and peace
unto his own place. But so mighty a rain
descended in that night and on the next day
that all men were afraid lest houses should
fall in ; for the more part of them were made

28 . Life of Porphyry

of unbaked bricks. And our Lord Jesus
Christ caused the rain to continue unceasingly
from the eighth day of Audynaios until the
tenth. Now Audynaios with them is the
month of January according to the Romans,
but their months are earlier by five days than
the Roman months. And on the eleventh we
celebrated the day of the Theophany of our
Master Jesus Christ with joy, singing hymns T20
and giving thanks for all the things that his
loving-kindness had wrought for us. And
there were added unto the fold of Christ in
this same year, over and above the hundred
and twenty and seven, other one hundred and
five.

But they of the idol-madness ceased not to
lie in wait for the blessed man and the other
Christians. For whensoever they could find
a governor that was a Greek, they secretly
persuaded him, either with money, or through
their godless religion, to distress the Christians,
so that the most blessed man suffered no
common affliction therefrom. Therefore he
prayed continually night and day unto the
merciful God that he might turn them from

Bishop of Ga^a 29

the error of their ways unto his own truth.
Now since I have made mention above of the 22
blessed Barochas, I will relate the rest of the
story concerning him. This man, if any, was
possessed of godly zeal ; for he suffered many
hard things from the idolaters. For once he
went out to a village not far from the city, on
account of a certain payment to the church.
Now he that owed the payment was an idolater,
and when he was asked for payment he sought
to tarry and put off the matter ; but the
God-fearing Barochas would not suffer him.
Thereupon strife arose between them, and
the wicked husbandman calleth certain fellow
villagers like unto himself, and they begin to
beat the blessed Barochas with clubs ; and
taking him up half dead they cast him forth
T21 out of the village into a desert place ; and he
lay there without speech or sense. But on the
next day, by the mercy of God, there passeth
through that place Cornelius the deacon with
other two Christians, and finding Barochas,
beloved of God, they knew him and took him
up and bare him into the city. But when they 23
of the idol-madness saw him being carried,

3° Life of Porphyry

supposing him to be a corpse, they fell into
a frenzy, because it was accounted pollution J
to bring a corpse into the city ; and snatching
him from the shoulders of them who bare him,
they begin to beat the deacon Cornelius,
beloved of God, and the two Christians ; and
fastening a rope to the foot of the blessed
Barochas they dragged him along. In the
meanwhile certain of the brethren come and
tell the blessed bishop, and he being troubled
calleth me and other three brethren who are
present with him, and saith unto us : ' Take
courage, Brethren, and run ; for the occasion
to bear witness is at hand.' Now when we
had come to the place where they had bound
the blessed man, the multitude ran together,
and some spake despitefully of the most holy
bishop ; but others, seeing his patience, how,
when men spake despitefully of him, he waxed
not wroth, but did on the contrary exhort
every man, saying that they should not thus
defile and insult a body of like nature to their
own, these others come over to our side ; and
so they turn against each other, even to blows.
But we, seeing that there was much confusion, izz

Bishop of Ga^a 3 1

took up Barochas, beloved of God, and went
back into the holy church. And seeing that
there was still breath in him, we gave him
tendance. And all the evening and the night 24
there was instant prayer over him ; for all the
brethren were gathered together. And the
holy bishop ceased not from weeping and
praying unto God for him ; for he knew how
godly a zeal he had. But when God saw the
tears of the holy priest, and the entreaties of
the people (for they held him to be a second
Phineas1 against the idolaters), he quickened
his mercy towards him, and in that night he
openeth his eyes, and beginneth to speak, and
to ask that drink be given to him. But I, who
sate beside him, straightway ran to tell the
blessed bishop ; for by reason of my great joy
I forgat to give him the drink ; even as hap-
pened 2 to the maid with the blessed apostle
Peter, when, hearing the voice of Saint Peter,
for joy she opened not the door but left him
there and first went and told them who were
in the house. Somewhat after this manner
was it also with me. But when the blessed
1 Num. xxv. 11. 2 Acts xii. 14.

3 2 Life of Porphyry

bishop heard it, he was not moved by affection
but continued steadfast in prayer ; and we
perceiving his firmness and immovableness
left him, and went away, I and the deacon
Cornelius, beloved of God ; for he was sitting T23
with me beside the blessed Barochas. But
when the most holy bishop had ended his
prayers and the whole office, he also came and
sate with us, and questioned the God-fearing
Barochas how it had happened to him from
the beginning, and he told us all things in
25 order. Now while we were taking counsel
what should be done, the day dawneth ; and
lo ! the public advocate with the guardians
of the peace and the two chief councillors,
Timotheus and Epiphanius, and many others
come and begin to cry out against us and make
a tumult, saying : ' Why brought ye a corpse
into the city, seeing that the laws of our fathers
forbid this ? ' And at the same time they spake
despitefully of the blessed bishop. But we,
hearing the tumult, came out, and seeing us
they begin to beat me and Cornelius the
deacon, beloved of God. But when we pro-
tested, calling the public officers to witness,

Bishop of Gaya 3 3

the most holy bishop restrained us, exhorting
and admonishing every one, that we should
not be thus wroth without reason. But the
godless men, the more they were exhorted,
the more mad did they become, and spake
despitefully of the holy man. So the tumult
continued ; but Barochas, beloved of God, is
strengthened and filled with godly zeal, and
riseth up and snatcheth a piece of wood, and
beginneth to smite the bystanders ; and fear
falleth upon them all, and they begin to fall
over each other in flight ; and he continued
T24 pursuing them as far as the temple of Marnas
that then was ; and so our new Samson
returneth again, having won a great victory,
and himself laid low a thousand of the Gentiles.

rFrom that time therefore they of the idol-
madness feared him, and could not endure to
hear his name.

Now after a little time we were accounted
worthy to be ordained deacons, I and Barochas,
beloved of God, I indeed being greatly
unworthy, but he full worthily and justly
receiving this gift.

But the saint Porphyry, seeing the unlawful 26

546.20 d

34 Life of Porphyry

things that were done daily by the idolaters,
taketh counsel with himself to send me unto
Byzantium to ask the Emperors that the tem-
ples of the idols be destroyed. For they still
gave oracles in Gaza, especially that which
was called the Marneion. And having indited
letters to the most saintly and holy John,
who was at that time bishop of Constanti-
nople, whose glory and praise is remembered
of all men, he sent me away in a ship, and after
twenty days we arrived, and having delivered
the letters to the blessed John I explained unto
him the whole matter by word of mouth.
And straightway, when he had heard it, he
declared it unto Eutropius the chamberlain,
who at that time prevailed greatly with the
Emperor Arcadius. And when he had read
unto him the letter of the blessed bishop and
asked of him to be favourable unto that which
was written therein, he took his leave of him
and came forth, and saith unto me : ' Have
patience, my child ; for I hope in our Master
Christ that he will show mercy unto us as he T25
is wont.'
27 And I ceased not daily to remind him, and

Bishop of Ga^a 35-

he would send and importune Eutropius.
And after seven days there is uttered a divine
decree that the temples of the idols in the city
of the Gazaeans should be shut and no longer
give oracles. And a certain Hilarius, an
adjutant of the Master of the Offices, is en-
trusted with this ordinance. And I after
three days set sail from Byzantium, and come
in ten days unto the city of the Gazaeans,
seven days before the coming of Hilarius. And
I found the most holy Porphyry sick. But
when I gave him the answer of the most blessed
John, the bishop of Constantinople, and read
it unto him, he was filled with joy, and the
fever left him and he was cured. But he said
that the sickness had taken him by reason of
the much affliction wherewith the idolaters
afflicted him. Now after seven days cometh
the said Hilarius, having two officers of the
consular court and many guards out of Azotus
and Ascalon, and all the pomp of office. And
straightway he seized the three councillors
of the city and took sureties from them and
declared unto them the divine decree, which
commanded that the temples of the idols in

D 2

16 Life of Porphyry

the city of Gaza should be shut up on pain of
the death of the chief men of the same city ;
and he overturned all the idols in them and
shut them up. But the temple of Marnas
he suffered secretly to give oracles ; for he T26
received therefor a great sum of money.')
And they of the idol-madness began again to
do unlawful things, as they were wont.
28 Now it falleth out that another marvellous
thing cometh to pass, calling many to come
to the knowledge of the truth. For God,
being compassionate, findeth occasions to
turn the race of men unto his light that
enlighteneth the mind. The thing that
happened was on this wise. A certain lady
of the notable people of the city, called
Aelias, being about to give birth to a child,
fell into great peril ; and the cause of the
peril was this. Her child came not forth
after the natural manner, but was turned aside
contrary to nature, and having put forth
one hand the rest of his body could not be
delivered ; for it lay crosswise in the womb
and the midwives availed not to move it
into the natural place. But the pain that

Bishop of Ga^a 37

was upon the woman was unspeakable, since
in the throes of her travail she sought to
bring forth the child ; and her labours
increased the more when the second day
followed after the first ; and the third day
likewise was more painful than the second.
And her labours endured unto seven days,
the evil being ever increased. But the
physicians also desired to cut the child out of
her, and when they beheld how her strength
was fallen away, they despaired of her life.
Her parents, therefore, and her husband
'27 Heros, being superstitious, offered up sacrifice
each day for her, and they brought in also
enchanters and soothsayers, thinking to profit
her thereby, but accomplished naught. Now 29
she had a nurse that was a believer, who being
exceeding grieved made petitions for her in
the houses of prayer. So on a certain day
when she was praying in the church with
tears, there came in Saint Porphyry about the
ninth hour, and I with him. And he seeth
the old woman in great affliction, praying
unto God with tears, and standing still he
inquired after the reason. And she looking

38 Life of Porphyry

upon him fell at his feet, beseeching him to
pray unto Christ for her. And when the
saint knew the cause of the woman's grief, he
himself wept ; for he was exceeding com-
passionate. And he saith to the nurse :
' I hear concerning that house that it is
idolatrous, and can hardly be saved ; but,
nevertheless, to God all things are possible ;
for he findeth occasion to save them which
are about to perish. Depart, therefore, and
gather together all her kinsfolk and her parents
and her husband, and say unto them : " Seeing
that there is here an excellent physician who
can cure her, if he cause her to escape from
this peril, what reward will ye give him ? "
And they will of a surety promise thee many
things. Then say unto them this also : " If
he cure her, give me your word withal that
ye will not turn aside from him nor depart
from him unto another." Cause them all
to lift up their hands to heaven and give their
word that they will perform all the things
that they have promised. And when they T 28
have done this, say unto the woman that
travaileth before them all: "Jesus Christ,

Bishop of G city 39

the Son of the living God, healeth thee ;
believe on him and live." '

So when the old woman had heard the 3°
words of the blessed bishop, and he had com-
mended her unto God, she ran to the house,
and finding them all weeping and the woman
in uttermost peril, she exhorted her parents
and her husband to be of good courage, and
said unto them that ' An excellent physician
sent me unto you, that ye may give me your
word that if she be cured ye will not deny
him.' And when her parents and her husband
heard it they said : ' If he wish to take all
our possessions, we shall not withhold them,
only let us see our daughter live.' And the
nurse said : ' Lift up your hands unto heaven,
and give me this promise that ye will not
deny the physician.' And they eagerly and
with tears lifted up their hands, saying that
' Nay, all that is ours shall be his all the days
of our life ; for what comfort shall we have if
she die ? ' For she was their only child, and
fair and pleasant in her ways above all others.
But the nurse, when she heard their words,
said with a loud voice before them all : ' Thus

40 Life of Porphyry

saith the great priest Porphyry : " Jesus
Christ, the Son of the living God, healeth
thee ; believe on him and live." ' And straight-
way the woman shrieked aloud, and brought
forth the child alive.

31 And all they that were there were astonied,
and cried out : ' Great is the God of the
Christians ; great is the priest Porphyry.'
And on the next day the parents of the T29
woman and her husband and all her family
and kinsfolk went unto the blessed Porphyry
and fell at his feet, asking to be sealed in
Christ. And the blessed man having sealed
them and made them catechumens sent them
away in peace, exhorting them to make
attendance in holy church ; and after a little
time, when he had instructed them, he
baptized them, together with the woman and
the child. And they called his name Por-
phyry. And they that were enlightened
through the occasion of this woman were in
number sixty and four.

32 But they of the idol-madness, the more
they saw the Christians increasing in numbers,
the more wroth did they become, and suffered

Bishop of Ga^a 41

them not to hold any civil office, but entreated
them as naughty slaves.- And the blessed
Porphyry, seeing again the great wrong that
was done to the Christians and enduring it
not, beholding how despitefully they were
entreated, departeth to Caesarea unto the
blessed John, the archbishop, and beseecheth
him with tears to let him go ; for he said he
could no longer bear the outrageous things
that were done by the Gazaeans. But when
the blessed John heard it he exhorted him
to be of a stout heart and not to forsake the
bishopric. And the most holy Porphyry
answered and said unto him : ' I call thee 33
to witness before the unseen God, and by our
hope which is Jesus Christ the Lord of all
creation, and the Holy Ghost which we
worship and which giveth life to all things,
neglect not my petition, that the destruction
of countless souls be not imputed unto us.
But I pray thee, Father, to take ship with me
unto the Imperial City, that we may petition
the Emperors, if the King of Heaven consent,
'30 to overturn the temples of the idols.' But
the blessed John said unto him : ' My son,

42 Life of Porphyry

thy prayer is just, but the time is not fitting,
for the season groweth worse towards the
winter solstice.' And the blessed Porphyry
answered : ' If God will that we should be
saved and convert the multitudes of Gaza,
he is able to preserve us even in winter.
But do thou, Father, take courage in his
mercy and be willing, and we shall have a fair
voyage.' The blessed John saith unto him :
' The will of Christ be done.'
34 So the blessed Porphyry, having taken his
commands, writeth to me to come with all
speed to Caesarea and to bring with me
three books and three and forty pieces of
money, the which chanced to remain over
from the revenues of the holy church. And
I, having received his letter, took the books
and the money and straightway departed,
and coming to Caesarea I found the most
holy bishops making ready for the voyage ;
and after two days we put to sea and sailed
on the twenty-eighth day of Gorpiaios
(which is according to the Romans the
twenty-third of September), and by the
mercy of Christ making a fair voyage

Bishop of Ga%a 43

after ten days we put in at the island of
Rhodes.

Now there was then in the island, living
solitary in the remote parts thereof, a man
named Procopius, who is now numbered
with the angels ; for he fell asleep five years
ago, having lived a blameless life in fasting
and watching and utter poverty. He had
also the gift of prophecy and the power of
T31 casting out devils, So when we had put in
at Rhodes, as hath been said, and heard tell
of the manner of life of the holy man, we held
it necessary not to pass him by, but to enjoy
his angelic company ; and having inquired
where he had his abode we journeyed unto
him, sailing along the coast in a small boat,
and came and knocked at his door. And he
straightway came forth himself and opened
to us, albeit he had with him another, a
disciple. But when he beheld the most 35
holy bishops, he fell upon his face and wor-
shipped them ; then rising up he kissed me
also and the God-fearing Eusebius the deacon,
whom the holy John the archbishop brought
with him. And leading us into the place of

44 Life of Porphyry

prayer he went behind us, giving the foremost
place to the most blessed bishops, saying :
' It is fitting that ye, being priests, should have
the foremost place, and I, being lowly and
not even thought worthy of ordination, the
hindmost.' Then knew we that the most
holy Procopius possessed the gift of vision ;
for albeit he had never beheld us nor heard
concerning us, he knew by the spirit that
the most blessed John and Porphyry were
bishops ; therefore gave he to them the
honour of the first place at prayer. Then
after the prayer we sate down, and when he
had spoken with us of many things profitable
to our souls, he inquired of the reason of our
travelling. And the blessed Porphyry related
to him all things concerning the Gazaeans,
how madly they are given unto idols, and how
many terrible things the Christians suffer
from them, and that for this reason they are
going up to pray the Emperors that the
temples of the idols may be overturned. T32

36 But when Saint Procopius, the anchorite,
heard it he wept and said : ' Lord Jesus
Christ, turn thy servants from the deceits of

Bishop of Ga^a 45-

the devil unto the light of thy faith.' Then
saith he to the most holy bishops : ' Be
not discouraged, Fathers ; for God, who
knoweth the zeal of your faith, will prosper
your way and give you all the desires of your
hearts. Hearken, therefore, while I counsel
you as the Lord hath revealed it unto my
lowliness. When ye come up to Byzantium,
join yourselves first to the most holy bishop
John, and make petition with him unto God,
and impart the matter unto him ; and he
also himself will counsel you according as
the Lord revealeth it unto him. For he can-
not have speech in the Palace, seeing that
the Empress Eudoxia is wroth with him. He
therefore commendeth you unto Amantius,
the chamberlain of the Lady, a man that f eareth
God and honoureth the habit of the priests ;
and he bringeth you in to the Empress, and
when ye go in to her she will receive you
kindly. Impart then unto her the whole
matter and take your commands of her and
go forth. And when ye come before her
the second time, after ye have reminded her
of the matter, say unto her that "We hope

45 Life of Porphyry \

in Christ the Son of God, if thou art zealous
in the present matter, that he will give thee
a male child." And when she heareth this, T33
she will be exceeding joyful (for she is great
with child, and this is the ninth month since
she conceived) and she will do all things that
she may accomplish the matter for you, if
God will.'
37 And we having heard the words of the
holy man and believed on that which he
said, received his blessing and departed ;
and putting to sea on that day, we sailed and
after other ten days came to Byzantium.
And having taken a lodging, on the next
day we went to the most holy archbishop
John. And he, when he knew who we were,
received us with much honour and tendance.
And he inquired of us for what reason we had
endured to travel, and we related it unto him.
And when he knew it, he remembered that
some time before we had made this same prayer
unto him by letters ; and he knew me again and
saluted me kindly. But he exhorteth us not to
be discouraged, but to have hope in the mercies
of God. And he said to us : 'I indeed have

Bishop of Ga%a 47

not power to speak with the Emperor ; for
the Empress hath kindled his wrath against
me, because I accused her concerning a posses-
sion which she desired and took away by force.
To me indeed it maketh no matter, that he
is wroth therefor, neither do I give heed
unto it, for they hurt themselves, not me ;
for even if they hurt my body, they profit.
my soul much more. Howbeit, let us leave
this thing to the tender mercy of God. But
concerning your ordinance, if it shall seem
good to the Lord, to-morrow I send for the
34 eunuch Amantius, who is the chief officer
of the Empress, having much favour in her
eyes, and verily a servant of God ; and I
impart the matter unto him, and he will be
exceeding zealous, if Christ will.' And
we, having received from him these com-
mands and his blessing, departed unto our
lodging.

On the next day we went to the holy man, 38
and find with him the chamberlain Amantius ;
for he had paid heed to our business and sent
for him and instructed him concerning us.
And when we entered, and Amantius knew

48 Life of Porphyry

that we are they concerning whom he spake
to him, he rose up and worshipped the most
holy bishops, bowing down his face to the
ground ; and they knowing who he was fell
upon his neck and kissed him. And the most
saintly archbishop John bade them also out
of their own mouths to instruct the chamber-
lain concerning their business. So the most
holy Porphyry related to him all things con-
cerning the idolaters, how boldly they do
unlawful things and how they trouble the
Christians. And he hearing it wept, and being
filled with godly zeal saith unto them : ' Be
not discouraged, Fathers ; for the Lord
Christ shall be a shield unto his religion.
Pray ye, therefore ; and I speak to the
Augusta, and have hope in the God of all
things, that he will show us his mercy after T 35
his wont. And on the next day I bring you
in also to her, and do ye instruct her out of
your own mouth as much as ye wish, and ye
shall find her instructed of me beforehand.'
And when he had said this he bade us farewell
and returned again, and we, having had much
spiritual conversation with the most holy

Bishop ofGa^a 49

archbishop John, and received his blessing,
returned to our lodging.

On the next day the chamberlain Amantius 39
sendeth two beadles to bring us to the Palace,
and rising up speedily we went thither. And
we found him waiting for us, and he took the
two bishops and led them in to the Augusta
Eudoxia. And when she beheld them, she
saluted them first, saying ' Grant me your
blessing, Fathers ; ' and they worshipped her.
And she sate upon a golden couch, and saith
unto them : ' Pardon me, priests of Christ,
by reason of the necessity of my belly that
oppresseth me ; for it behoved me to go to
the antechamber to meet your holiness.
But for the Lord's sake pray for me, that
I may bring forth happily that which is in
my belly.' But the most holy bishops, mar-
velling at her condescension, said : ' May he
that blessed the womb of Sarah and of
Rebecca and of Elizabeth, bless that which
is in thy belly and cause it to live.' And when
they had had other spiritual conversation
also, she saith unto them : ' I know for what 40
reason ye have made this journey ; for

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yo Life of Porphyry

Amantius the chief officer hath instructed me
beforehand. But if ye also wish to instruct
me, say your bidding, Fathers.' So, being
commanded, they explained all things con-
cerning the idol-madmen, how they doT36
fearlessly impious deeds and how they oppress
the Christians, suffering them not to hold
any civic office, nor to till their own fields,
' from which they pay public taxes unto your
government.' But when the Empress heard
it, she said: 'Be not discouraged, Fathers;
for I hope in the Lord Christ, the Son of God,
that I may persuade the Emperor to do that
which is fitting for your holy faith, and to
send you away hence comforted. Depart,
therefore, and refresh yourselves, for ye are
aweary, and pray that God may favour my
petition.' And when she had thus spoken,
she commanded money to be brought, and
taking three handfuls each she gave to the
most holy bishops, saying : ' Take this for
the meanwhile against your expenses.' And
the bishops received it and, having called
upon her many blessings, went forth. And
as they came forth, the greater part of the

Bishop of Ga^a 5-1

coins they distributed to the beadles who
stood at the doors, so that but little was
left to them. But the Empress, when the
Emperor came in to her, told him the business
of the bishops, and asked him that the temples
of Gaza might be destroyed. But the 41
Emperor, when he heard it, was vexed, and
said : ' I know that that city is idolatrous,
but it is well-disposed in the matter of the
paying of taxes, contributing much money.
If therefore we come suddenly upon them,
and affright them, they will flee and we shall
lose so much tribute. But if it seem good,
37 we shall afflict them piecemeal, taking away
the dignities from the idol-madmen, and the
other civic offices, and will command their
temples to be shut up and to give oracles no
longer. For when they are afflicted and
brought altogether into a strait place, they
will acknowledge the truth. For a change
that is over-sudden is a heavy thing for
subjects to bear.' But the Empress when she
heard it was sore grieved (for she was fervent
in the faith), but answered not the Emperor
save only this : ' The Lord is able to succour

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his servants the Christians, whether we wish
it or whether we wish it not.' These things
the God-fearing Amantius, the chamberlain,
related unto us.
42 On the next day the Augusta sent for us,
and having first after her wont saluted the
holy bishops bade them sit down. And after
they had spoken much of spiritual matters,
she saith unto them : ' I spake unto the
Emperor and he was a little vexed. But be
not discouraged ; for, if God will, I will not
cease until ye be satisfied and depart having
accomplished your desire which is of God.'
And the bishops, when they heard her words,
worshipped her. And our Saint Porphyry,
being sore moved, and remembering the
words of the thrice blessed Procopius, the
anchorite, said to the Empress : ' Do thou
labour for Christ, and he shall grant thee for
thy labour a son, who shall live and reign, for
thee to see and enjoy many years.' And when
the Empress heard his words she was filled
with joy and blushed, and the beauty which T38
was in her countenance was increased ; for
the things which are apparent make manifest

Bishop of Ga^a 5-3

the things which are unseen. Then saith 43
she unto the most holy bishops : ' Pray ye,
Fathers, that according to your words by
God's will I may bring forth the male child,
and if this come to pass, I promise you to do
all that ye ask. And another thing which ye
did not ask I purpose to do, with Christ's
will ; for I will found a holy church in Gaza
in the midmost of the city. Depart ye, there-
fore, in peace and abide quietly, praying con-
tinually for me that my travail may be happy ;
for this is the ninth month and it is nigh to
be fulfilled.' So the bishops having taken
their leave and commended her to God went
forth from the palace. And prayer was made
that she should bring forth a male child ;
for we trusted in the words of the holy
Procopius, the anchorite. And we went daily
to the most holy John, the archbishop, and en-
joyed his holy words, which were sweeter than
honey and the honey-comb.1 And Amantius
the chamberlain came continually to us, some-
times bringing us answers from the Empress, and
sometimes for the sake of our conversation.
1 Cp. Ps. xix. 10 [xviii. n].

f4 Life of Porphyry

44 Now after a few days the Empress bringeth
forth the male child, and they call his name
Theodosius, after the name of his grand-
father Theodosius the Spaniard, who was
Emperor with Gratian. But the young
Theodosius when he was born was brought T39
forth in the purple, wherefore even from his
birth he was proclaimed Emperor. And there
was much rejoicing in the city, and messengers
were sent forth to bear the good tidings unto
the cities, with gifts and favours. But the
Lady, when she had brought forth the child
and was risen from childbed, sent to us
Amantius, saying to us by him : ' I give thanks
to Christ that through your holy prayers
God hath granted me the son. Pray ye, there-
fore, Fathers, for his life and for me, the
lowly one, that I may fulfil those thing9
which I promised unto you, if Christ himself
again will, through your holy prayers.'

45 And when the seven days of her lying-in
were fulfilled, she sendeth for us, and cometh
to meet us at the door of the bedchamber,
carrying also the child in the purple. And
she bowed her head, saying : ' Draw nigh,

l

Bishop of Ga^a SS

Fathers, to me and to the child which God
hath granted unto me through your holy-
prayers.' And she also gave the child into
their hands that they might seal him. And
the holy bishops sealed both her and the child
with the seal of the cross ; and when they had
prayed, they sate down. And after they had
had much heart-stirring speech together, the
Lady saith unto them : ' Know ye, Fathers,
what I am resolved to do concerning your
business ? ' And my lord Porphyry answered
and said: 'Whatsoever thou hast resolved,
thou hast resolved with God ; for in this night
T40 it was revealed unto my worthlessness by
a vision that I was in Gaza, and that I stood
in the house of the idols there that is called the
Marneion, and that thy Piety gave unto me
the Gospel, and said unto me : " Take, read."
And I having opened the book found the por-
tion in which the Lord Christ saith unto
Peter : " Thou art Peter, and upon this
rock1 I will build my church, and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it." And
thou, Lady, didst answer and say : " Peace be
1 Matt. xvi. 18.

f6 Life of Porphyry

upon thee, be strong and quit thee like a man."
And upon this I awakened, and by this am
I persuaded that the Son of God will work
with thee for thy purpose. Now tell us,
Lady, what thou hast resolved.'

46 The Empress answered and said : ' If it
seem good unto Christ, after a few days it
behoveth that the child receive holy baptism.
Depart ye, therefore, and make a petition and
request, setting down in order therein all
things that ye desire, and when the babe
cometh forth after the precious baptism,
give the petition unto him that carrieth it ;
and I will teach him what to do, and I hope
in the Son of God that he will order the whole
matter according to the will of his compas-
sion.' And we, having received these com-
mands, called many blessings upon her and
upon the child, and went forth and departed
and made the petition, setting down many
things in the paper, not only the overturning
of the idols, but also privileges for the holy
church and the Christians, and a revenue to T41
be provided ; for the holy church was poor.

47 Now the days ran past, and the day came

Bishop of Ga^a 57

on which it was purposed that the young
Emperor Theodosius should be enlightened.
And all the city was hung with garlands and
adorned with silks and gold vessels and all
manner of other adornments, so that no man
could describe the splendour of the city ;
nay, one might behold the multitudes of the
inhabitants like the waves of the sea, various
with all sorts of garments. But it is not in
my power to express the glory of that splen-
dour, but belongeth to those who are prac-
tised in speech ; but I will be about the
present true history. When the young
Theodosius had been baptized and came forth
from the church to the Palace, then again
might one behold the goodliness of the multi-
tude of them that went before, and their
shining raiment ; for they were all clad in
white, so that it seemed as though the multi-
tude were covered with snow. There went
first Patricians, and Illustres, and every
dignity, together with the troops of soldiers,
all bearing candles, so that it seemed as
though stars were shining on the earth. And
nigh unto the babe that was carried was the

5*8 Life of Porphyry

Emperor Arcadius himself, whose counten-
ance was glad and bright, even brighter than
the purple that he wore ; and one of the
nobles carried the babe in bright raiment.
And we marvelled, seeing so great glory. And
Saint Porphyry saith unto us : ' If things that T42
are of the earth and after a little time vanish
away have such glory, how much more the
heavenly things, which are prepared for the
worthy, which neither eye hath seen x nor ear
heard, neither have they entered into the
heart of man.' Now we stood in the vestibule
of the holy church, having also the paper of
48 the petition, and when he came forth after the
baptism, we cried out saying : ' We make
petition of thy Piety,' stretching forth also the
paper. And he that carried the babe, behold-
ing it, and knowing our business (for he had
been taught beforehand by his mistress), com-
manded that the paper be shown unto him,
and when he received it, he stood still. And
he commanded that there should be silence,
and opened the paper and read a portion,
and having rolled it up he placed his hand
1 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Bishop ofGa^a f<?

under the head of the babe, and bowed it,
and cried out before all the people : ' Their
Majesty hath commanded that the things
which are in the petition be done.' And all
they that beheld marvelled and worshipped
the Emperor, calling him blessed, because
he was found worthy to see in his own days
a son reigning ; and he was lifted up with
pride when he heard them. And tidings were
brought beforehand to the Empress Eudoxia
also of that which had been done by her
child, and she was glad and fell upon her
knees and gave thanks to God.

But when the child came into the Palace, 49
the Lady met him and received and kissed him,
and taking him up greeted the Emperor also,
saying : ' Blessed art thou, my Lord, because
of the things that thine eyes have seen in thy
T43 lifetime.' And the Emperor rejoiced when
he heard her. And the Empress, seeing that
he was glad, said : ' If it please thee, let us
learn what is contained in the petition, that
the things that are therein may be fulfilled.'
And the Emperor bade read the paper, and
when it was read, he said : ' Hard indeed is

60 Life of Porphyry

the request to perform, but harder to refuse,
since it is even the first command of our son.'
And the Lady saith unto him : ' Not his first
command only, but arrayed in this holy
garment hath he given it, and the petition
is made for the sake of piety and of holy men.'
But the Emperor consented hardly, though
the lady was very instant with him. All these
things did Amantius, beloved of God, report

' .unto us.

50 On the morrow the Empress sendeth for
us, and having according to her custom first
saluted the holy bishops bade them sit, and
saith unto them : ' By your prayers hath God
laid upon me your business, and with his help
hath it been done, and ye have seen what
means I did use. But if it seem good on the
morrow I will send for the quaestor, and before
your faces I will bid him make according to
the signification of your petition a divine
rescript in the name of the two Emperors,
and, to speak plainly, whatsoever ye say unto
him he shall do.' And the bishops when they
heard this also called many blessings upon her,
and on her son and the Emperor, and when

Bishop ofGas^a 61

they had conversed on many other matters
profitable to the soul they took their leave
and went forth. And on the morrow she sent
T<i4 for the quaestor and for us, and saith unto
him : ' Take this paper and according to its
signification draw out a divine rescript.' And
the quaestor, taking the paper, speedily
dictated the divine rescript, while we were
yet present. And we put it into his mind
that he should appoint captains and con-
sulars for our defence, and troops under them.
But when the divine rescript was complete
and signed, we besought the Lady that the
matter should be committed into the hands
of some man among the nobles. And she
bade Amantius seek out a man that was a
zealous Christian, to whom it should be com-
mitted. For many of them which were in 51
high places held the faith but in pretence ; on
whom the divine judgement came afterwards.
For when the Emperors knew that they were
not righteous men of undefiled faith, they took
away from them their dignities, and punished
them in their bodies and with amercements.
But these things happened before this time ;

62 Life of Porphyry

wherefore the Augusta commanded that a
man of true faith be entrusted with our
business. And he that was entrusted was one
called Cynegius, one of the consistory, an
admirable man and fervent in the faith. And
having called him to her, the Augusta com-
manded him to overturn all the temples of
the idols unto their foundations and burn
them with fire. And she granted him money
also from her own hand, saying : ' Take
these for thine expenses, and see that thou
take nothing from the most holy bishops.'
And when he had received these command-
ments from his mistress, he went forth, being
filled with greater zeal.
52 Now when we had passed the rest of the
winter and spent the holy Paschal days and T45
the day of the Resurrection, we made ready
to sail away. And we asked the admirable
Amantius to make known our departure unto
his mistress that we might take leave of
her. And he when he heard it was grieved
that we intended to sail away ; for he loved
us so much, that he himself asked his mistress
to give him leave that he might go to make

Bishop of Ga^a 63

his prayers at the holy and venerable places.
But his mistress feared to give him leave,
lest when he came thither he should become
a monk and remain there ; for she knew the
manner of life of the man. For he was in
sooth blameless, giving much alms, and always
fasting, and entertaining many strangers and
ready to help the necessities of the pious.
So much concerning Amantius, beloved of
God. But he brought knowledge of us to his
mistress and we went in to her, and she saith
to the most holy bishops : ' When, with
God's will, do ye sail ? ' And they said, ' For
this reason have we come hither, to take
leave of your Majesty.' And she said :
' Remember always me and my child.'

And straightway she commanded money 53
to be brought, and when it was brought
she said to my lord the bishop Porphyry :
' Father, take these two hundreds and found
the holy church which we promised to found
in the midst of Gaza, and make known to me
if thou requirest yet more money, and I
will send it straightway. And found also a
guest-house, that thou mayest receive the

6\ Life of Porphyry

brethren that come to sojourn in the city and T46
mayest provide them with their expenses for
three days.' And she gave also to the most
holy John one thousand pieces of gold and to
both of them precious vessels, and for their
expenses she gave unto them each an hundred
pieces of gold. And the aforesaid most holy
John, bishop of Caesarea, obtained what-
soever privileges he desired on account of his
own church. And when they had prayed and
called many blessings on the Empress and her
son and the Emperor, they went forth.
54 But they asked that they might go in unto
the Emperor also ; and the Emperor asked
them whether they were wholly quit of their
business, and whether the Empress had
bestowed upon them any gifts. And they
said that ' We are wholly quit, God saving
your Piety, and your spouse, most beloved
of God, and your son, whom God preserve,
and many and great are the gifts that we have
received.' And straightway the Emperor also
bade the prefects to grant unto them out
of the public revenues of Palestine twenty
pounds of gold apiece. And he himself also

Bishop of Ga\a 6y

gave unto them on account of their expenses
one handful each, which was found to be
fifty pieces of money for each. And when
they had called many blessings on him also,
they went forth. But we spent in the city
other three days, until we received the grant
of the forty pounds, and after three days we
went aboard and set sail, on the three and
twentieth day of Xanthikos, according to the
Gazaeans, but according to the Romans the
eighteenth of April. And the most illustrious
T47 Cynegius departed after us, using the public
post.

Now we came to Rhodes in five days. And 55
we were desirous to go out to the saint
Procopius, the anchorite ; and though we
earnestly besought the owner of the ship to
allow us three hours, he would not allow it,
saying that ' I shall not find so fair a wind '.
But we said unto him that ' The prayers of
the holy man are able both to preserve us and
to give us a fair wind '. But the owner of
the ship hardened his heart and would not
accept our request ; but when we had taken
in water, we put out to sea. And we were

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66 Life of Porphyry

sore grieved, that we had failed of this meeting.
We besought him, therefore, by prayer to
pardon us and to pray for us, that we might
be preserved and fulfil the work which we had
taken in hand.
56 So when we had sailed from Rhodes and made
a good voyage for two days, the weather being
fair, of a sudden a storm ariseth, winds and
lightnings and thunders, and very great waves,
and the waves were uplifted and became as
high mountains, and the ship was tossed on
high so that we seemed to touch the clouds.
And there were cries and tears and prayers to
God, and we besought also the prayers of the
holy Procopius, the anchorite. And when the
evening came and the storm abated not, we
continued without sleep the whole of that
night. But about dawn, being wearied with
their great affliction, the most holy bishops T43
fell asleep for a little while ; and in his sleep
my lord Porphyry seeth Saint Procopius, the
anchorite, saying unto them : ' Instruct the
owner of the ship and seal him again (for he
is of the abominable heresy of Arius) and
prepare him to call Arius accursed and his

Bishop of Ga^a 67

evil faith, and straightway this so great tem-
pest shall cease. For it is because he is of the
said heresy that he would not suffer you to
come unto me. However, do ye instruct
him, for he will receive the true doctrine
from you.'

When he heard these things our holy 57
Porphyry awoke, and calling us related the
things that he had seen in his sleep. And
straightway calling the owner of the ship we
said unto him : ' Dost thou wish that thy
ship should be saved, and all we and before all
things thine own soul ? ' And he saith, ' Of
this there is no question.' And the bishops
said unto him : ' Deny thine evil faith and
believe on the true faith, and be saved, thou
and thy ship and all of us.' The owner of the
ship saith unto them : ' Since I see that ye
have foreknowledge (for ye have understood
that which is in my heart although no man
hath informed you), behold I say unto you:
I believe as ye believe and I deny the heresy
of Arius and Arius himself. But I beseech
you that when there is time ye show me the
light out of the Holy Scriptures unto the true

f 2

:;

58 Life of Porphyry

faith.' And the holy bishops took and sealed
him again, making a prayer over him, and
made him also to partake of the divine
mysteries. And in the meanwhile also the T49
tempest ceased and toward evening the wind
turned, and we sailed fairly, and having spent
on the sea other four days, on the fifth at
dawn we came unto the seaport of the land
of the Gazaeans, which they call Maiumas.
58 And when we were come ashore, the
Christians there when they knew it received
us with psalm-singing ; and likewise also they
of the city when they heard it came to meet
us, having with them the sign of the precious
Cross, themselves also singing psalms. And
the people from the two places were mingled
together, and there was no small number ;
for they from the seaside were the more, %
because they had many Egyptians who were
merchants of wines. But they of the idol-
madness, when they saw the things which
happened, were cut to the heart ; but they
dared not to do aught, since they heard how
great honour the most holy bishops had
received from the Emperors, and that the

Aj

Bishop of Ga^a tfo

idols were to be overturned ; and they were
sore disquieted and cast down.

But when we came into the city, in the 59
place that is called the Four Ways, there was
a statue of marble which they said was a
statue of Aphrodite ; and it was upon a base &
of stone, and the form of the statue was of
a woman, naked, and having all her shame
uncovered. And all they of the city did
honour to the statue, especially the women,
T 50 kindling lamps and burning incense. For they
reported concerning it that it giveth answer
in dreams unto those who wish to make trial
of marriage, but they deceived each other,
speaking falsely. And oftentimes, being
bidden by the demon to make a contract of
marriage, they were so unfortunate that they
came even to divorce, or lived together in
evil wise. These things did we learn from
them which turned aside from error and
acknowledged the truth. But some of the 60
idolaters also, being unable to bear the calamity
of the grievous marriages whereunto they had
been led by the bidding of the demon of
Aphrodite, were indignant and confessed the y

7o Life of Porphyry ]

deceit. For even such are the demons, to
deceive and say naught at all that is true ;
for it is not in them to know of a certainty,
but by guesses they delude and win over the
people which are enslaved unto them. For
how can they speak truly who are fallen away
from the truth ? Even if they happen to
I prophesy aright in aught, it is ^ch^n^e^that
this cometh about, even as among men it
chanceth oftentimes that one foretelleth con-
cerning a matter and it cometh about by
chance. When therefore they foretell the
event aright by chance, seeing that this is
but seldom, we marvel ; but though they err
continually, of this we are silent. Thus much
concerning demons and their error.
61 Now when we had come out of the ship
unto the city as hath been said, when we came
unto the place where was the aforesaid idol of T5
Aphrodite (but the Christians were carrying
the precious wood of Christ, that is to say
the figure of the Cross), the demon that
dwelt in the statue beholding and being
unable to suffer the sight of the sign which
was being carried, came forth out of the

Bishop of Ga^a 71

marble with great confusion and cast down
the statue itself and brake it into many pieces.
And it fell out that two men of the idolaters
were standing beside the base on which the
statue stood, and when it fell, it clave the
head of the one in twain, and of the other it
brake the shoulder and the wrist. For they
were both standing and mocking at the holy
multitude. And many of the Greeks when 62
they beheld the sign which had come to pass,
believed, and mingled with the lay-folk and
entered with them into the holy church which
is called Peace. And there was great joy
among the Christians on that day for three
reasons ; in the first place because they
received back their priest in good health, and
having done according to his desire; and in
the second place because the gods of the
heathen were dashed in pieces and become
as dust that is scattered from the summer
threshing-floor,1 and also they who were like
unto them were broken because they trusted
in them ; and in the third place, and before
all others, because moreover souls that were
Dan. ii. 35.

72 Life of Porphyry

gone astray were saved and added unto the
fold of Christ. And when he had sealed them
the bishop let them go in peace, bidding them
make attendance in the holy places of prayer.
And they were in number thirty-two men T52
and seven women. And when the archbishop
John had spent other two days in Gaza he
departed unto Caesarea, all the Christians and
the holy bishop bringing him on his way for
two miles.

' 63 But after the tenth day came the admirable
Cynegius, having with him the consular and
the captain and a great band of soldiers and
civil officers. But many of the idolaters had
foreknowledge of this and departed out of
the city, some into the villages, and some
into other cities ; and they were the more
part of the rich men of the city. And
the said Cynegius quartered the soldiers in the
houses of them which had fled. And on the
next day having called to him the people of
the city, the captain and the consular being
present, he uttered unto them the imperial
letter, which commanded that the idols and
their temples be overturned and given unto

Bishop of Ga^a 73

the fire. And straightway when they heard,
the idolaters cried out with a loud voice, so
that the governors were wroth and threatened
them, sending soldiers among them, who beat
them with clubs and staves. But the Chris-
tians with great joy shouted aloud, prais-
ing the Emperors and the governors. And 64
straightway they went with the governors
and the troops and overturned the places
of the idols of Gaza. Now there were in the
city eight public temples of idols, of the Sun \
T53 and of Aphrodite and of Apollo and of the
Maiden and of Hecate and the temple called
of the Hero, and the temple of the Fortune
of the City, which they called the Tychaion,
and the Marneion, which they said was the
temple of the Cretan-born Zeus, which they
accounted to be more famous than all the
temples in the world. And there were also
other very many idols in the houses and in
the villages, whereof no man could reckon the
number. For the demons having taken hold
upon the will of the Gazaeans, a people easily
led astray, had filled with error all their
city and the parts round about it. But this

74 Life of Porphyry

they suffer because of their great simplicity ;
wherefore when they are converted unto the
holy faith they become zealous Christians.
65 Thus much concerning the Gazaeans. Being
commanded, therefore, the soldiers with the
Christians of the city and of the part of it
that is by the sea went forth against the idols.
And desiring first to overthrow the Marneion,
they were set back ; for the priests of that
idol, having heard beforehand, did bar the
doors of the inner temple within with great
stones, and taking down into the place
called the sanctuary that none may enter
whatsoever precious vessels were in the
temple, and moreover the very images of the
gods themselves, they hid them there, and
escaped through the same sanctuary by other
ways up ; for it was said that from the
afore-mentioned sanctuary there were many
ways going up into divers places. Being
therefore set back, as I said before, they
turned against the other places of idols, and
some they overthrew, and others they gave
unto the fire, having seized all the precious T54
vessels that were therein. But Saint Porphyry

Bishop of Ga^a 75-

had laid a curse in the church upon every
Christian citizen that should take aught from
the places of the idols unto his own profit ; no
man, therefore, of the citizens that believed
took aught, save only the soldiers, and such
strangers as were sojourning there. Therefore
there went about with the lay-folk devout men
of the clergy and the holy bishop Porphyry
himself, restraining them that they should take
nothing for themselves.

So they spent ten days overthrowing the 66
temples of the idols, and after the said days
they took counsel concerning the Marneion
also, how they should deal with it. For
some said that it should be digged down,
and others burned down, and others that
the place should be purified and conse-
crated unto a church of God, and there
was much searching out of this matter. '
And at the last the holy bishop proclaimeth
a fast to the people, and a prayer, that the
Lord may reveal unto them how they must
do. And having fasted on that day and
prayed unto God concerning this matter,
in the evening they celebrated the Holy

7 6 Life of Porphyry

Communion. But during the celebration of
the Communion, a child of about seven years,
which was standing with his own mother,
cried out suddenly, saying : ' Burn ye the
inner temple unto the foundation ; for many
terrible things have been done in it, especially
the sacrifices of human beings. And after this
^manner burn ye it : bring liquid pitch and
sulphur and fat of swine, and mingle the three
and anoint the brazen doors and set fire to T55
them, and so shall all the temple be burned ;
for otherwise is it not possible. But the
outer temple leave ye with the court. And
after the burning, having purified the place,
found there a holy church.' And he said
also this : ' I swear unto you before God,
otherwise may it not be done ; for neither
is it I that speak, but Christ who is within
me.' These words did he speak in the
language of the Syrians. But when they
heard they all marvelled and glorified God.
6j And this marvel came also unto the hearing
of the holy bishop, and stretching forth his
hands to heaven he glorified God and said,
' Glory be unto thee, Holy Father, that thou

/

Bishop of Ga^a 77

hast hid these things x from the wise and
understanding and hast revealed them unto
babes.' And he commanded that the child
and his mother, after the people had been
dismissed from the church, should be present
in the bishop's house ; and having put the
child apart, he said to the woman : ' I adjure
thee by the Son of the living God to say
whether it was thou or some other, thou
knowing him, who did put it into the mind
of thy child to utter those words which
he said concerning the Marneion.' And
the woman said : ' I yield myself up unto
the terrible and dreadful judgement-seat of
Christ, if I foreknew aught of the things
which my son did utter this day. But, if
it seem good unto thee, lo ! take the child
and examine him with threats, and if any one
hath put it into his mind to speak these words,
T56he will be afraid and confess, but if he will
say nothing else, it is manifest that he was
filled with the Holy Ghost.' And the bishop
having heard the speech of the woman and
thought it good, said that she should be taken
1 Matt. xi. 25.

78 Life of Porphyry

apart for a little, and the child be brought
in ; and the boy being set there he said unto
him : ' Who put it into thy mind to utter
in the church those things which thou spakest
concerning the Marneion ? ' And the child
was silent. Then the most holy bishop com-
manded that a scourge should be brought,
and the child be stretched out, that he
might be made afraid. And he that held
the scourge lifted up his voice and cried out,
saying : ' Who told thee to speak ? Say, lest
thou be smitten with the scourge.' But the
boy stood dumb, uttering no word. Then
we that stood around him said the same to
him with threats ; but he was not moved.
68 At the last, after we had all ceased, the boy
opened his mouth and said in the Greek
dialect : ' Burn ye the inner temple unto the
foundation ; for many terrible things have
been done in it, especially the sacrifices of
human beings. And after this manner burn
ye it : bring liquid pitch and sulphur and fat
of swine, and mingle the three and anoint
the brazen doors and set fire to them, and so
shall all the temple be burned ; for otherwise

Bishop of Ga\a 7$>

is it not possible. But the outer temple
leave ye with the court. And after the burn-
T57 ing, having purified the place, found there
a holy church. I swear unto you again before
God, otherwise may it not be done. For it is
not I that speak, but Christ who is within me.'
And the most holy bishop Porphyry mar-
velled, and all they that were with him, when
they heard the bold saying of the boy, and
how plainly he spake ; and calling his mother,
the bishop asked her whether she or her son
knew the Greek tongue ; but she affirmed
with oaths that neither she nor her child
knew Greek. And when he heard it, again
the most holy Porphyry glorified God, and
bringing three coins gave them to the woman.
But the boy beholding the coins in the hand
of his mother cried out, saying in the Syriac
tongue : ' Take them not, Mother, lest thou
also sell the gift of God for gold.' And we
hearing it marvelled again exceedingly. But
the woman gave back the three coins saying
to the bishop, ' Pray for me and my child
and commend us unto God.' And the holy
bishop sent them away in peace.

80 Life of Porphyry

69 But at dawn he called together the God-
fearing clergy and the Christ-loving lay-folk,
and likewise the admirable Cynegius and the
governors, and told them how the boy had
spoken concerning the Marneion. And when
they heard they were astonied and with one
mind said that according to the saying of the
boy, even so it should be burned. Taking, T 58
therefore, the liquid pitch and the sulphur and
the swine's fat and mingling the three they
anointed the inner doors, and having made
a prayer they kindled the fire, and straightway
all the temple took fire and was burned. And
as many of the soldiers and of the strangers
as were able seized out of the fire whatsoever
they found, whether it was gold or silver or

70 iron or lead. But there was a man there, one
of the officers of the soldiers, which they call
, a tribune, being appointed to oversee the
burning of the temple. Now in appearance
he was a Christian, but unknown to the
many he was an idolater. He standing by and
seeing the burning and the plundering by the
soldiers was cut to the heart, and making a
show to punish their disorderliness did scourge

Bishop of Ga^a 8 i

unmercifully one whom he found bearing away
some of the spoil. Now while these things
were happening and the walls were being
destroyed, of a sudden out of the fire a burning
beam falleth upon the tribune and bringeth
upon him a twofold death ; for it brake his
head and burned the rest of his body. And
straightway the soldiers which believed and
the Christ-loving folk, knowing the man, that
his heart was inclined unto the idols, glorified
God and said that psalm * which saith : ' Why
doth the tyrant boast himself in mischief I
All the day long thy tongue hath imagined
T 59 wickedness ; like a sharp razor thou hast
wrought deceitfully. Thou hast loved mis-
chief above goodness, iniquity more than to
speak righteousness. Thou hast loved all
words of destruction, a deceitful tongue.
Therefore may God destroy thee for ever,
may he pluck thee out and remove thee from
thy dwelling-place and thy root out of the
land of the living ; ' and the rest of the psalm.
But the temple continued to burn for many
days. And after this, search was made in the 71
1 Ps. Hi. [li.] 1 f.

546-20 G

8 2 Life of Porphyry

houses also (for there were many idols in most
of the courts), and of those which were found
some were given to the fire and others were
cast into the jakes. And there were found
also books filled with witchcraft, which they
called sacred, out of which they of the idol-
madness performed their mysteries and other
unlawful things. And unto these was done
even as unto their gods.

72 But many came running unto the holy
faith, and some indeed from fear, but others
condemning their former life, and unto all
the holy church did open her doors ; for she
remembered the holy scripture which saith : 1
' Unto him that knocketh it shall be opened,
and he that seeketh findeth,' and again : 2
' whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is
preached.' But some of the believers also
said unto the holy bishop that it behoved him
to receive not those who came out of fear,

73 but those whose purpose was good. But the
holy bishop said to them which spake thus: T60
' There be also virtues which come by chance
unto men from circumstances. For even as

1 Matt. vii. 7. 8 Phil. i. 18.

Bishop of Ga^a 83

a man who hath gotten a froward servant first
admonisheth him by all means to behave him-
self wisely and to serve him with a simple
heart, but when he findeth him nowise
obedient unto his admonition, then there-
after of necessity he layeth upon him fear
and blows and bonds and other such things,
desiring not to destroy him but that he should
be saved and acknowledge that which be-
hoveth him ; even such may ye suppose God
to be, enduring our frowardness with long-
suffering, and oftentimes persuading us for
our profit both through the scriptures and
through other holy men ; but when we are
not persuaded, desiring in all things like a good
and merciful master to keep us and not to
thrust us away, he layeth upon us his fear and
his teaching, calling us of necessity to acknow-
ledge that which behoveth us. Therefore the
divine scripture saith : l " When he slew them,
then they sought him, and they returned and
inquired early after God." And again 2 it
saith concerning them who behave themselves
unruly and stiffen their necks against God :

1 Ps. lxxviii.flxxvii.] 34. a Ps. xxxii. [xxxi.] 9.

G 2

84 Life of Porphyry

" With muzzle and bridle ye shall hold in their
jaws lest they come nigh thee." It is needful
therefore, my children, that mankind be ad-
monished by fear and threats and discipline.
Therefore again x it saith : " It is good for me T61
that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn
thy statutes." These things have I said because
of those who desire to come unto our holy
faith. For even if they come doubting, time
is able to soften their hearts, if Christ consent.
But, that I may tell you yet another thing,
even though they be not seen to be worthy
of the faith, having been already in a state
of evil, they that are born of them can be
saved, by having converse with the good.'
74 Thus spake the holy Porphyry, and having
persuaded the brethren he received all those
that desired to be enlightened, having in-
structed them for many days not only before
the baptism, but also thereafter ; for he con-
tinually taught the people, not speaking high-
sounding words, desiring to make a show, but
teaching in plain speech and explaining all
things out of the scripture. There were added,
1 Ps. cxix. [cxviii.] 71.

Bishop of Ga^a 8 y

therefore, unto the fold of Christ in that year
about three hundred persons, and thenceforth
in each year the numbers of the Christians
received an increase.

Now when the Marneion was wholly burned, 75
and the city was set in order, the blessed
bishop took counsel with the holy clergy and
the Christ-loving lay-folk, to found a holy
church in the place that was burned, as it
had been revealed unto him when he was
in Constantinople ; for which reason also he
received the money from the Empress Eudoxia,
most beloved of God. Having sent away the
T 62 governors, therefore, and the Christ-loving
lay-folk, he kept with him some of the soldiers,
lest there should be any uprising after their
departure ; yet not only for this cause, but
also that they might help in the bringing
together of the materials for the building of
the said holv church. Some then counselled
that it should be built after the fashion of
the temple of the idol ; for the shape of it
was round, being set about with two porticoes,
one within the other ; but the midst of it
was a dome spread out and stretching up on

8tf Life of Porphyry

high ; and it had also other things becoming
unto idols, and convenient for the abominable
and unlawful deeds which were done by the
idol-madmen. After this fashion, then, some
said that the holy church should be built, but
others said the contrary, saying that the very
remembrance of the fashion thereof should
be destroyed ; and they who said this per-
suaded all men, as speaking well. But the
holy bishop said : ' This also let us leave to
the will of God.' But while yet the place is
being made clear, there cometh a servant of
the Master of the Offices bringing an imperial
letter from Eudoxia, whose memory endureth
for ever, and the letter contained greeting
and made request for prayers for herself and
for the Emperors, her husband and her child.
And there was in another paper within the
letter the plan of the holy church, shaped
like a cross, even as now with God's help it
is to be seen, and it was written in the letter
that the holy church should be founded T 63
according to the plan. And the saint Por-
phyry rejoiced when he read and beheld the
plan ; for he knew that this also came to pass

Bishop of Ga^a 87

by divine revelation, and remembered the
scripture which saith : x ' The king's heart is
in the hand of God.' And the letter said
furthermore that precious pillars and marbles
were about to be sent.

When, therefore, the ashes were carried 76
away and all the abominations were destroyed,
the rubbish that remained of the marble work
of the Marneion, which they said was sacred,
and in a place not to be entered, especially
by women, this did the holy bishop resolve
to lay down for a pavement before the temple
outside in the street, that it might be trodden
under foot not only of men, but also of women
and dogs and swine and beasts. And this
grieved the idolaters more than the burning
of the temple. Wherefore the more part of
them, especially the women, walk not upon
the marbles even unto this day.

But after a little time, he proclaimeth a fast
on a certain day, and when the people were dis-
missed after the morning prayers, the bishop,
beloved of God, bade every man that loved
Christ to bring each one mattocks and shovels
1 Prov. xxi. 1.

8 8 Life of Porphyry

and other such tools. This had he proclaimed
in the evening before, that all should be found
\ ready in the morning, as indeed it came to pass. T 64
77 \ But when the people were come together
with the said tools in the holy church that
is called Peace, he bade them all singing
together to go to the place where the Mar-
neion was aforetime, and he himself followed
after, carrying the sacred gospel-book and
having around him the holy clergy, verily
after the likeness of Christ with his disciples.
And before the people went Barochas, whose
memory endureth alway, bearing the figure
of the precious Cross, and on either side of
the people were the soldiers which were left
behind for the good government of the city.
And as they went they sang, and in the place
of the division of the psalm they said the
Alleluia ; and this was the psalm x which they
said : ' O come, let us rejoice before the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise unto God our
saviour. Let us come before his presence
with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise
unto him with psalms. For God is a great
1 Ps. xcv. [xciv.] 1-7.

Bishop of Ga\a 89

lord and a great king over all the earth ; for
in his hand are the ends of the earth and the
high places of the hills are his ; for his is the
sea and he made it, and his hands fashioned
the dry land. O come let us worship and fall
down before him, let us cry aloud before the
Lord our maker ; for he is our God and we
are the people of his pasture and the sheep
of his hand.'

And they said other psalms also until they 78
cameuntothe Marneion. Now Saint Porphyry,
T65 the bishop, had persuaded a certain Rufinus,
an architect of Antioch, a believer and well
skilled, by whom the whole of the building
was accomplished. He taking gypsum marked
out the fashion of the holy church according
to the form of the plan which was sent by
the Augusta Eudoxia, most beloved of God.
And when the most holy bishop had made
a prayer and bending of the knee, he bade
the people dig. And straightway all with one
mind and with the same zeal began to dig,
crying : ' Christ hath conquered.' And there
was no difference to be seen between man
and woman, or old man or child, but their zeal

90 Life of Porphyry

gave unto all of them the same strength, and
some digged and others carried away, so that
in a few days all the places were digged and
cleared out.

79 And having made ready beforehand the
materials for the building, both very great
stones from the hill that is called Aldioma
toward the west of the city, and other material,
the saint brought together again the Christ-
loving folk, and having made many prayers
and much singing of psalms at the place, he
himself girt up his loins and began the first
to carry stones and put them into the founda-
tions ; and then also the clergy, beloved of
God, and all the lay-folk, rejoicing and singing
with a loud voice, so that the sound was heard
three miles from the city.

80 But a great marvel came to pass on that
day. There be wells within the enclosure of
the temple, whereof there is one to the south-
ward of the present holy church of God,
having no small depth. Now three boys,
being athirst, went aside to drink, and coming T66
nigh to the mouth of the well bended over,
leaning upon the wood that was over the

Bishop of Ga^a $> 1

mouth, as children do ; and the wood brake,
and the three fell into the well. And some
who were there went and told the people of
that which had come to pass ; and there was
no small tumult, all men running together
to the well. But when he learned what had
come to pass, the most holy Porphyry himself
also ran to the place, and bade them keep
silence, and when they were silent he began to
pray and beseech God with many tears that
he would keep the children alive and un-
harmed, and especially because of the idol-
madmen, that they may not say : ' Where is
their God on whom they hoped ? ' And when
he had spent one hour lying upon the ground,
he arose and bade some one go down by the
ropes of the buckets, to make search for the
boys. For the multitude were shouting out,
calling the children, and there was none that
gave ear to them from below out of the well.

But when the man went down the three 81
boys were found sitting upon a great stone
unharmed and of good cheer, talking with
each other. And when the man beheld them
he marvelled exceedingly and glorified God,

9 2 Life of Porphyry

and shouted out from below and said : ' Glorify
the Lord, for the three boys live.' And when
the saintly and holy bishop heard, and the
people, they rejoiced, and sending down a
great basket bade the three to be brought up
together. For they were little children of
about six or seven years. And he that was
below having received the basket and fastened T67
it safely set the three therein, exhorting them
to shut their eyes until they should come to
the top, and to say : ' Jesus Christ, save us.'
And having done this he shouted out to pull
the rope steadily ; and as they pulled they said
the hymn of the three children : 1 ' Blessed
art thou, Lord God of our fathers.' And
when they came up and the saintly bishop
beheld them (for he was standing at the mouth
of the well and holding the rope) he was filled
with joy and wept and cried out, saying : 2
' All ye works of the Lord, praise the Lord,
sing unto him.' And when they had lifted
them out of the basket, they searched them,
lest any part of their body were bruised ; and
there was no hurt found in them. But we
1 [Dan. iii. 52.] * [Dan. iii. 57.]

Bishop of Ga^a 93

beheld a great marvel ; for the three were 82
found to have marks shaped like to a cross,
as it were scratched with a needle, the one
in the midst of his forehead, the second upon
his right hand about his fingers, and the other
on his right shoulder. And the little crosses
were fairly fashioned, neither crooked nor
awry, but of one measure, so that they were
manifest signs of God ; for neither did they
cause any pain to the children, nor was there
any blood, but they were as it were stamped
with vermilion. And they remained on them
a sufficient time that all might see and marvel ;
for many also of the strangers when they
beheld them believed. And the man also 83
that went down for the children, when he
T68 was brought up, affirmed with oaths, saying
that ' When I put them in the basket and
they were borne up I beheld as it were
lightning round about them until they came
unto the mouth of the well.' And there was
joy among the Christians on that day, but
among the idolaters grief and offence.

But the building went forward day by day,
all men working with zeal and haste ; for no

94 Life of Porphyry

man was deprived of his wages, but he
rendered them more than their due, giving
freely to the labourers ; for he said : ' It
behoveth that blessing and not a curse should
be upon all the work of the building.'

84 And in the next year the Empress Eudoxia
sendeth the pillars which she promised, mar-
vellous and great, in number two-and-thirty
(and they are called Carystian), the which
are in the holy church shining like emeralds.
But when they came into harbour, there
was shown forth again the zeal and eagerness
of the Christ-loving folk ; for all when they
heard it straightway ran to the shore, not
only the men, but also women and children
and old men (for the desire of the faith
enabled all of them), and bringing wagons
they laid each pillar upon a wagon and drew
it and set it in the open part of the temple,
and turned again and conveyed another until
they had conveyed them all. Of these matters
thus much.

85 But about that time there came to sojourn

in the city a certain woman of Antioch called T69
Julia, who was of the abominable heresy of

Bishop of Ga-^a 95-

them which are called Manichaeans ; and
knowing that certain persons were but lately
enlightened and not yet stablished in the
holy faith she wrought secretly and corrupted
them, bewitching them by her doctrine, and
much more by gifts of money. For he that
invented the said godless heresy was not able
to catch any otherwise than by the bestowing
of money. For unto those who have under-
standing their doctrine is filled full of all
blasphemy and condemnation and old wives'
fables that entice foolish womenfolk and
childish men of vain mind and wit. For out
of divers heresies and opinions of the Greeks
did they build up this their evil belief, desiring
by wickedness and craft to take hold on all
men. For they say that there be many gods,
that they may be acceptable unto the Greeks ;
and moreover they acknowledge nativities and
fate and the science of the stars, in order
that they may sin without fear, holding that
the commission of sins is not in us, but cometh
from the necessity of fate. But they confess 86
Christ also, for they say that he was made
man in appearance ; for they themselves in

9 6 Life of Porphyry

appearance are called Christians. For the
matters which are worthy of laughter and ill
words I pass by, that I may not fill the ears
of them which light upon them with things T7C
very grievous to hear and monstrous tales.
For taking opinions from Philistion the maker
of plays and from Hesiod and others that are
called philosophers and mingling them with
the opinions of the Christians they builded
up their own heresy. For even as a painter
making a mixture of divers colours perfecteth
the appearance of a man or a beast or some
other thing for the deceit of them that behold
it, that it may seem to them that are foolish
and without understanding to be true, but
to them that have understanding it is a shadow
and a deceit and an invention of man ; so
also the Manichaeans having drawn out of
divers opinions did perfect their own evil
belief, nay rather, having gathered together
and mingled the venom of divers serpents, did
prepare a deadly poison for the destruction
of the souls of men. But, as aforesaid, that
pestilent woman having come to the city,
certain persons were led away by her deceitful

Bishop of Ga%a 97

teaching. But after some days Saint Porphyry, 87
having been informed by certain of the be-
lievers, sent for her and questioned her, who
she was and whence and what manner of
belief she held. And she confessed both her
country and that she was a Manichaean. And
when they that stood around him were moved
with wrath (for there were certain devout
men with him), the blessed man besought
them not to be angered, but with patience
to exhort her a first and a second time,
observing the saying of the holy apostle.1
T 71 Then saith he to the woman: 'Abstain,
Sister, from this evil belief ; for it is of Satan.'
But she answered : ' Speak and hear, and
either persuade or be persuaded.' And the
blessed man said : ' Prepare thyself against
the morrow and present thyself here.' So she

I took her leave and departed. But the blessed
man, having fasted and prayed much unto
Christ that he would shame the devil, pre-
pared himself against the next day, and called
certain of the devout, both clergy and lay-
men, to hear the dispute between himself

1 Tit. iii. 10.
546-20 H

98 Life of Porphyry

88 and the woman. And on the morrow the
woman presenteth herself, having with her
two men and as many women ; they were
young and fair to look upon, and the faces
of them all were pale ; but Julia was old in
years. And they all did build their reasoning
upon the teaching of this world, and much
more Julia than the others. And their guise
was lowly and their manner gentle, but, as
it is said, they were outwardly sheep,1 and
inwardly ravening wolves and venomous
beasts ; for hypocrisy is in all their words
and deeds. Then being bidden to sit down
they inquired into the matter. And the saint,
holding the holy gospels and having made the
sign of the Cross on his mouth, began to ask
her to declare her belief, and she began to
speak. And brother Cornelius the deacon, of
whom mention was made a little time before,
being skilled in the shorthand of Ennomus,
did at the bidding of the most blessed bishop
note all that was said and disputed, I and t 72
brother Barochas reminding him. But I have
not written the dispute in this book, seeing

1 Matt. vii. 15.

Bishop of Ga^a 99

that it was long, and desiring to make the
present writing brief ; but in another book
I have set it forth for them that desire to
know both the wisdom that was given of God
unto the most holy Porphyry, and the old
wives' fables which the marvel-monger and
magician Julia spake in her foolishness.

On whom the divine justice came quickly. 89
For after she had said many vain things for
many hours and spoken the customary blas-
phemies against the Lord and God of all,
Saint Porphyry, being moved by divine zeal,
when he saw him that comprehendeth all
things both seen and unseen blasphemed by
a woman possessed of the devil and submitting
herself unto his will, gave forth his sentence
against her, saying : ' God, who made all
things, who alone is eternal, having neither
beginning nor ending, who is glorified in
trinity, shall smite thy tongue and muzzle
thy mouth, that thou mayst not speak evil
things.' And straightway with the sentence 90
followed also the punishment ; for Julia began
to tremble and her countenance to be changed,
and continuing as in a trance for a certain

h 2

ioo Life of Porphyry

time she spake not, but was without voice or
motion, having her eyes open and fastened
upon the most holy bishop. But they that
were with her, beholding that which she
suffered, were sore afraid, and sought to
awake her spirit and sang charms into herT-
ear ; and there was no speech and there was
no hearing. And after she had been for a
certain time without speech, she gave up the
ghost, departing unto the darkness which she
honoured, holding it to be light, according
to the scripture which saith : x ' Woe unto
them that make the sweet bitter and the
bitter sweet ; that put darkness for light and
light for darkness.' And the saint bade that
her body should be laid out and committed
unto a grave, taking pity on her human
nature ; he was exceeding compassionate.
91 And as many as heard that which had come
to pass marvelled exceedingly, not only they
of our faith, but also the strangers. And the
two men which were with her, and the women,
and as many as had been corrupted by her,
came running and fell at the feet of the most
1 Isa. v. 20.

Bishop of Ga^a

101

blessed bishop, saying, ' We have erred,' and
asked penance. But the blessed man caused
them all to curse Manes, the author of their
heresy, after whom also they were called
Manichaeans, and having instructed them for
many days he brought them into the holy
catholic church. And by the means of those
persons others also of the strangers repented
and were enlightened.

But after the space of five years the work 92
of the great holy church was accomplished,
and it was called Eudoxiana after the name
of the Empress Eudoxia, most beloved of God.
And the most holy Porphyry consecrated it
on the day of the Resurrection of holy Easter
74 very sumptuously, sparing not expense ; but
having gathered together all the monks, to
the number of about a thousand persons,
with other devout people, of the clergy and
laymen and bishops, he made good cheer all
the days of holy Easter. And there were to
be seen angelic choirs not only in the office
of the church, but also in the hours when they
did eat their food. For their table was not
only a visible, but also a spiritual table ; for

102 Life of P orphyry

after the meat was said a psalm, and after the
drink an hymn. But when they of the idol-
madness saw that which came to pass, their
hearts were melted. For strangers came from
every quarter to see the beauty and greatness
of the said holy church ; for it was said to
be greater than all the churches of that time.
93 For this reason, when he laid the foundations
at the beginning he was accused of certain of
the faithful, because he made it great, although
the Christians in the city were few ; and the
most holy Porphyry answered and said : ' Let
not your faith be little ; for I am of a good
hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, that he will multiply his flock and will
make this house greater, because it shall not
be able to contain the multitudes of the
Christians. For the belief of the Christians
is not of man, that it may be seen for a season
and be brought to an end, but it is of God.
and receiveth increase.' These and such-like
words did the blessed man ever speak unto
the faithful, not only in the church, but also
in every place, enlightening and succouring T 7
the Christ-loving folk. And after the days of

Bishop of Ga^a 103

the feast he sent away the multitudes in peace,
each to his own place.

But after the foundation and consecration 94
of the said holy church, he ordered that there
should be given unto each stranger sojourning
in the city his expenses for one day, and he
furnished also unto each poor man, both
stranger and citizen, for each day the sum of
six obols ; besides which he himself provided
out of his own substance, unto those that
came unto him, garments and silver and gold,
providing unto each according to his worth ;
and no one of those that required aught was
without part in his gifts. But in the days of
the fasts of the holy Paschal season he furnished
unto each poor man the sum of ten obols for
forty days. And having given commandment
in his pious testament that the said ten obols
should by all means be given for the forty days,
and set apart revenue out of which he desired
that they should be given, in the said testament
he ordered that if these things should not be
furnished each year, the said revenue should
go unto the holy church of Caesarea. But
these things came to pass afterwards.

104 Life of Porphyry

95 But they of the idol-madness, the more
they beheld Christianity to prosper, the more
mad did they become, and sought earnestly to
hurt the Christians and before all their holy
shepherd Porphyry. For once a contention
having arisen about lands between the steward

of the holy church and Sampsychus, the chief T 76
city councillor, Barochas, beloved of God,
seeing the steward spoken of despitefully,
came to succour him and began to speak
despitefully of the said Sampsychus. And
when the rest of the council heard it they
gathered together and went against the
steward and Barochas, beloved of God ; and
there went up together with the councillors
many of the citizens, having found an occasion
to hurt them of the faith and, as one might
say, from a little spark so great a fire was
kindled and did burn up, that all the Christians
were in danger to be destroyed. For so
furiously did the idolaters rage that they
lifted up even swords and clubs and slew'

96 seven persons and smote many others. Then
not being contented with this they went
against the shepherd himself. But some, who

Bishop of Ga\a ioy

rejoiced in that which is good, ran beforehand
and brought tidings to the most holy bishop
of the onset of the multitude. And when the
blessed man heard it, he called me to him
and said : ' Let us flee, Brother, and hide our-
selves a little while, until the wrath of the
Lord be passed.' And having climbed the
wall we fled by the roofs. But the idol-
madmen brake the doors of the bishop's house
and entered in, and when they found not
Saint Porphyry they spoiled all that they found
there. But I and the blessed Porphyry fleeing 97
T77 over the roofs found a maiden of about four-
teen years, who knew the holy bishop and fell
at his feet. But the blessed man asked her
who she was and who were her parents. And
the maiden answered and said that she was
an orphan both of father and of mother ; but
she said that she had a grandmother that was
an old woman and infirm in body, and she
herself did labour, and sustain herself and her
grandmother. And he asked her whether she
was a Christian, and she again said that she
was not, but had desired it a long time, ' if
indeed I be worthy.' And the compassionate

io6 Life of Porphyry

Porphyry hearing the speech of the maiden
was pricked in heart and wept, saying : c How
ready to receive the good is the race of the
Gazaeans. But the adversary is earnest to
hinder such a purpose ; whom the Lord shall
smite with the word of his mouth.' x And he
said to the maiden : ' Bring unto us hither
a mat in this roof-chamber, that we may
abide here until the tumult of the city be
stilled, and tell no man that we are here.
And she affirmed with oaths that she would
not reveal them, not even unto her grand-
98 mother. And going down through a little
room into her own dwelling she brought the
mat and a pillow of chaff, and having spread
the mat put the pillow under it ; and falling
at the feet of the blessed man she besought
him to taste of her scant food, and not to be
offended because of her poverty ; for it was
towards evening. But the holy man, desiring
to follow the example of the great prophet T 78
Elias,2 said to the maiden : ' Haste thee,
daughter, and bring it, that the Lord may
render unto thee through me spiritual food
1 Cp. 2 Thess. ii. 8. 2 Cp. 1 [3] Kings xvii. 10.

Bishop ofGa^a 107

and food for the flesh.' And she hastened and
went down and going forth bought bread
and olives and cheese and steeped pulse and
wine, and brought them all and set them
before us saying, ' Take, my Lords, and bless
my poverty.' And the blessed man again was
pricked in his heart and wept, foreseeing how
great faith she was like to have in Christ.
And when we had risen up and made the
customary prayers and sate down I partook
of both cheese and wine, but the holy man
of bread and steeped pulse and water. And
when we had sent the maiden away to her
grandmother we slept in the roof-chamber ;
for it was the summer season. And we asked
also the name of the maiden, and she said
' Salaphtha ', which is being interpreted in
Greek Irene (Peace). And we spent also the
next day on the roof, the fair Irene doing us
all service with much zeal. But when we 99
knew that the tumult of the city was stilled,
we went by night into the holy church, and
going up into the bishop's house found naught
in it, save only Barochas, beloved of God,
T79 lying nigh unto death by reason of the wounds

108 Life of Porphyry

that he had gotten from the godless and
impious idolaters. But after a few days the
consular (who was called Clarus), having
learned that which had come to pass in the
city, sendeth an officer with many soldiers,
and putteth in ward those against whom the
public officers informed him, and sendeth
them unto Caesarea ; and some he punished,
and some he sent away after scourging them
with whips ; and so, having caused no little
terror, he stilled the city.
ioo But after a few days Saint Porphyry remem-
bered that good maiden who received us, and
sent for her by me ; and she came running,
having with her also another woman, whom
she said to be her aunt. And they coming
in to the blessed bishop fell at his feet ; who
received them kindly as a loving father. And
he said to the maiden : ' Daughter, dost thou
truly desire to become a Christian ? ' And
she answered and said: 'Already told I thee,
my Lord, that I have had this desire long
time, and now I have brought a witness, even
mine aunt, who also herself hath the same
desire.' And he was exceeding joyful and

Bishop of Ga^a 109

said to her : ' Quit thee like a man and be
strong, my child.' And having called the
steward of the holy church he bade him
furnish to her and her grandmother four
miliaresia of silver each day, and to her aunt
he gave one piece of money, and having sealed
T80 them with the sign of the Cross he let them
depart, bidding them to spend their time in
prayer and in receiving the instruction of the
catechumens. And he sent also unto her
house the God-fearing Timotheus the Elder
and Instructor, and bade him seal the grand-
mother of the maiden ; for as I said before
she was stricken in body. And when they
had received instruction the three after a little
time were deemed worthy of precious baptism.
But after they had put off the sacred dress, 101
the holy man having called the said maiden
unto him said unto her : ' Desirest thou that
we should join thee unto a man in lawful
marriage ? for thou art of age to have a
husband. For neither is honourable marriage
forbidden of our Scripture.' Then the maiden,
hearing the words of the holy man, began to
weep and to say : ' Good father, after that

1 1 o Life of Porphyry

thou hast joined me unto a mighty husband,
wouldst thou put me away from him and give
me unto one that is lowly and of no worth ?
In no wise, my lord, do this thing.' But the
saint, being amazed, said : ' And who is this
whom I have joined unto you ? ' And she
answered: 'Jesus Christ, the saviour of our
souls, my true bridegroom, for ever and ever,
from whom I shall never be put away.' But
the saint, hearing her words, was sore moved
and wept, so that out of the fullness of his
heart he embraced the maiden and kissed her
head ; for in sooth he was altogether without
passion and out of the great tenderness of his
heart easily moved to tears. And we who
stood nigh him beholding the grace of the
Holy Ghost that was given unto the maiden, T8i
beloved of God, did glorify God who granteth
wisdom and grace unto his elect. But on
that day he let the maiden depart.
102 And in these same days it came to pass
that the old woman rested from her labours
and went unto the Lord. Then having called
unto him the maiden he sent for the God-
fearing deaconess Manaris, which also being

Bishop of Ga^a 1 1 1

interpreted according to the Greek tongue is
Photine (Bright) ; to whom he commended
Salaphtha, giving unto her the habit of the
rule ; and having commended them unto God
he let them depart in peace. But she took
a way of life such as no other woman took
in that time, fasting daily, and after the fast
partaking of a little bread with salt and
steeped pulse or chopped herbs and water
only ; for of wine she partook not at all.
But on the feast-days she partook of oil and
did eat olives, but did taste of naught else
of the food that is prepared with fire ; and
for all the forty days of fasting on every
second day she ate steeped pulse or chopped
herbs without bread ; and the whole Paschal
week she endured partaking of naught, save
only on the holy fifth day, after the Holy
Communion, of hot water. And so sore did
she consume her body that they that saw her
seemed to behold a shadow. And she became
an ensample unto many other women also ;
for they followed zealously after the life and
way of the holy maiden Salaphtha. Who
seemeth to live until now ; for unto the world

ii2 Life of Porphyry

she is dead, but unto Christ she liveth and is T82
with him through all time ; of whose holy
prayers may we be partakers. And so far be
it told concerning the holy maiden Salaphtha.
103 But the most blessed bishop Porphyry,
having stablished the rule of the church and
all the office, lived other few years after the
consecration of the great church. And falling
sick he drew up a pious testament, bequeath-
ing gifts unto many ; and, commending unto
God all them of the Christ-loving folk, he
fell asleep with the saints in peace, on the
second day of the month Dystros, in the year
four hundred and fourscore according to the
reckoning of the Gazaeans, having held his
bishopric four and twenty years and eleven
months and eight days, and fought the good
fight unto the end against the idol-madmen
until the day of his falling asleep. And now
he is in the Paradise of delight, being an
ambassador for us with all the saints ; by
whose prayers may we obtain mercy from
God the Father, with the Son and Holy
Ghost, unto whom be glory and power for
ever and ever. Amen.

NOTES

NOTES

2. other such writers, i.e. especially writers of
comedy, to whom, by a chiastic construction, the
' laughter ' refers, while l old wives' fables ' refers
to the writers of tragedy.

that may teach us. Literally : the life of a
man so beloved of God, a life, teaching philosophy,
of him who strove earnestly after the heavenly life.

madness of idols. elSoiXofj-avia and the corre-
sponding adjective -fiavrjs are used by Mark, though
not exclusively, in preference to the milder etSwXo-
Xarpia, -XdrprjS.

terrible day. Mark's text has cpofiepa (probably
by a mere slip of memory) instead of -n-ovrjpa, which
is the reading of the New Testament MSS.

holy church, ayiav iKKX-qcriav. The epithet
here seems to have a purely general sense. Usener
(Legenden der heiligen Pelagia, p. 38), commenting
on the phrase where it occurs in c. 20, says that it
means the chief church in the city, under the
immediate control of the bishop. But in many
places, as in the phrase a-^oXa^iv rfj dyia iKKXrjaia
(c. 31), it can hardly have any such special sense ;
and here, although the church founded by Porphyry
happens to have been the cathedral church, the

I 2

n6 Life of Porphyry

addition of the qualification tov Xpurrov seems to
indicate that the adjective is used quite generally.

3. awful soul. </>o/?€pa5 : the sense of this adjec-
tive, like that of the English awful, has weakened
down to that of Oav/xao-ros. See Nuth, p. 37.

whatsoever be the occasion, ola. SrjTrore irpofyaarei '.
possibly ' by whatsoever means '. The two senses
come very close together, as in c. 31.

4. to leave his country. About 372, when he was
about twenty-five years old.

Scetis. The most desert of the monastic settle-
ments in the district of the Wady Natron or Valley
of Nitria, about sixty miles south of Alexandria.
See Dom C. Butler's edition of Palladius, Hist.
Lausiaca, ii, p. 187; Duchesne, Hist, of Early
Christian Church, vol. ii (Eng. ed. 1912), p. 391 f.

honourable habit, tl/jliov 7rpocr^^/AaTos, the
monastic habit. The epithet is also used by Mark
of the Cross and of baptism, and may there be
translated ' precious '. In all connexions it is
doubtless merely ornamental.

when he had gone thither. About 377.

change ableness. Of temperature (between
night and day, rather than between the seasons).

by the dispensation (of God). olKovofxia is used
(without Oiov), like -rrpovoia, for God's providence
(Nuth, p. 54 f.). The reason for the use of the
phrase here is not obvious ; it does not appear why
the decision to return to Jerusalem was more provi-
dential than any other of Porphyry's actions.

Notes 117

to take him up to Jerusalem. About 382.

a hardening of the liver with a continuous fever,
very slight. a-Kipoifxa (or a-Kippo}fj.a) is, Sir Clifford
Allbutt informs me, a general word for 'induration'
(cp. Dioscor. de Mat. Med. i. 1. 3, and Pollux
Onom. iv. 198 KapKuvwp:a, aKLppo)/xa [/.era. </>Ae-
y/xov^s e7raXyes). Ae7rroTaToi/ seems to be merely
' very slight ', rather than ' subtle ' in the sense of
' insidious '.

/ also came. Before 392.

the Resurrection of Christ. The Anastasis, a
circular building containing the Holy Sepulchre,
a portion of the buildings connected with Con-
stantine's basilica erected on the site of the former
temple of Astarte. See the plans in ' The Churches
of Constantine at Jerusalem ' (Library of the Palest.
Pilgrims Text Soc, vol. i).

5. Testimony. The Martyrion, the basilica of
Constantine, is said to have been so called as being
built over the place that bore witness to the Resur-
rection. See Eusebius, Vita Const, iii, c. 28 ; and
Saint Cyril's Catechetical Lectures, xiv. 6. It stood
actually over the spot where the Cross was found ;
while the reputed site of the Crucifixion was
supposed to lie between it and the Anastasis.

6. pieces of gold. The ordinary nomisma or soli-
dus of the time, weighing 4-55 grammes, being -^
of the Roman pound. Three thousand of these
would be equivalent in weight to over -£1,700
sterling ; and 1,400 to about £800.

1 1 8 Life of Porphyry

7. cast out. TrepUypaxj/ev, in the sense of 'reject'.
the sacred Skull. So, too, in Luke xxiii. 33 tov

toVov tov KaXov/xevov Kpaviov ; the more common
designation is ' the place of the skull '.

the same precious wood, to avro ti/xiov £v\ov,
perhaps for avro to t. $., ' the precious wood itself '.

8. did more diligently serve. Trepio-aorepov oIkovo-
/jLT/O-qv cis. This seems to be the sense (through
oIkovo/xos in the sense of a steward) ; Mark became
his ' familiar '.

outward learning, rrjs e£co0cv 7rai8€t'as, the
learning of this world.

in spirit and in speech, to r}6o<; (character)
Kal tov \6yov (its expression in language), ovk iv
Trpoo-rronqo-u dXA' dXrjOeta (the reading of H).
from all passions. See the note on c. 101.

9. precious vessels. Presumably church plate.
the monasteries there were very poor, but accord-
ing to the Historia Lausiaca (ed. Butler, p. 30)
Pambo told his steward Origenes to distribute
Saint Melania's gifts of money in Libya and the
islands, but not in the more wealthy Egypt (Sia to
evTropuyTepav etvat tt)v ^iopav).

That former work. The point seems to be :
' I did work then, and the work which I did
then,' &c.

10. Praylius, who held the bishopric. Upu>o-vvr)v,
as in c. 4, of Porphyry as Bishop of Gaza. This
appears to be a mistake. From 386 to about 417
the Bishop of Jerusalem was John ; he was sue-

Notes 119

ceeded by Praylius. In c. 12 Mark still more
definitely speaks of Praylius as ' bishop of Jeru-
salem '. It is possible that the words describing
Praylius in c. 12 are a later addition by some one
who knew that he became bishop of Jerusalem.
Then by ' priest of the holy places ' Mark may
mean chorepiscopus, suffragan. It seems unlikely
that, writing about 420, Mark should have for-
gotten that Praylius only became bishop of Jeru-
salem about 417.

Porphyry was ordained presbyter in 392.

wood of the Cross. This was preserved in a
special oratory in the court behind the great
basilica.

in mortification, &c. ev ttj ao~Kr)TLKfj Ka.KOTro.6eia.

after the going down of the sun. It was quite
a usual practice — as for instance in the monasteries
under the rule of Pachomius — to eat but once a
day ; but apparently the more ascetic form of the
practice was to take the meal after sunset. So did
Saint Antony of the Desert. And so did one
Theodore {Vitae patrum, x. 154, Migne, lxxiii.
198) who boasted : ' Habeo viginti duo annos, ex
quo praeterquam Sabbato et Dominico die nun-
quam me sol comedentem vidit.'

the other holy days. ' other ', deleted by Eber-
hard and Draeseke, is otiose but textually correct.

steeped pulse. fipeKTwv oo-irpimv : see H. Gelzer,
Leontios'' von Neapolis Leben des h. Johannes (1893),
index under oo-n-pcov ; cp. Palladius, Hist. Laus.

1 20

Life of Porphyry

105 1 A (p. 48, ed. Butler) : Macarius of Alexander
is described as eating only raw vegetables and
dcnrpiwv fipeKTwv, where the variant reading oonrpi-
Slwv is not recorded by Butler.

11. Aeneias died at the end of 394 or beginning

of 395-

Irenion died about 393. He is given in the
Martyrologium Romanum on Dec. 16 : Gazae
in Palaestina sancti Irenionis Episcopi (ed. 1873,
P- 187).

angelic powers. On the claim of the monk to
the angelic 7roAn-eta see Usener, Der heilige Theo-
dosios, p. 121 f.

of honourable and holy life. /?ta> koX crefxvoTrjTi

KiK0(7jXrjp.eV0L.

the metropolitan high-priest. That is, the
Archbishop of Caesarea, the metropolitan church
of Gaza.

12. John died before 404 and was followed by
Eulogius, who presided in 415 at the synod of
Diospolis. He had succeeded Gelasius, who had
succeeded Euzoius, who was expelled under Theo-
dosius I ; Lequien, Oriens Christ, iii. 561-3.

bishop of Jerusalem. See Usener, Leg. d. heil.
Pelagia, p. 33 ; the use of bishop, not archbishop,
corresponds to the conditions before the year 451,
after which the synod of Chalcedon granted the
higher title (J. Gildemeister, Acta S. Pelagiae
(1879), p. 2).

13. bring therein, &c. /xrj . . . i£ dSiKtas *} /3tas

Notes

I 21

rj TrapavojAtos crwayay^s. The sense of the last
word is obscure ; but it seems to mean ' to bring
(into the house, as a concubine) along with (the
legitimate wife) '. Or there may be a reminiscence
of some such prohibition as the third canon of the
Nicene Council, forbidding the clergy to have
' spiritual sisters ' living with them : aTrrjyopevcre
KaOoXov rj jXiydXrj (rvvoSos, ju/^re e7r<.<TK07ra), . . . /xt^tc
oAojs rtvt twv iv T(3 Kkrjpu), e^civai (TvvticraKTOV

yvvaiKct, £X€tv' KT^'

14. Barocbas. Apparently the same as Baruch
(inn) = Blessed.

on that day. March 16, 395.

16. when it was morning. This was Sunday,
March 18, 395. Mark, however, appears to reckon
Porphyry's tenure of the see from his entry into
Gaza on the next Wednesday (see p. 1 12, c. 103).

ordained him bishop, i^eiporovrja-av liri&Ktmov.
The word is used both of the people and of the
clergy for electing to a dignity, creating. But for
the bishop the word is xeipoOtreiv, the laying on
of hands.

17. we departed. March 20, 395. The reason
for haste was that they should be at Gaza for
Easter (March 25).

we entered into the city. March 21, 395.

18. was taken. Alexander besieged Gaza for two
months in 332 B.C. on his way into Egypt.

whether for the said reason, &c. There was
a Church of Peace at Byzantium at the beginning

122

Life of Porphyry

of the fourth century ; and the church of Hippo
bore the same name in 393 (Duchesne, Early
History of the Christian Church, Eng. ed. 191 2,
ii, p. 6y). The name was not an unnatural one to
give to a Christian place of prayer founded after
the close of the Great Persecution.

19. feet . . . bring bad luck. Ka/<o7rd8i.vds i&Tiv,
the opposite of ' Aya9o7rov<;, boni pedis homo, on
which see R. Herzog in Philologus, lvi (1897), p. 46.
The same idea is contained in the English ' first
foot ', the person who first enters a house after
the beginning of the new year.

continued to send no rain. From the end of
October 395 to January 3, 396.

first month, which they call Dios. The Gazaean
year consisted of twelve months bearing the same
names as in the Syromacedonian calendar, and
counting thirty days in each. The first day of
their year was our 28th of October. There
were also five intercalary days (six in every fifth
year) which were intercalated between Loos and
Gorpiaios, the tenth and eleventh months. We
thus get the following correspondences, in ordinary
years :

October 28= Dios 1.

November 27=Apellaios 1.

December 27=Audynaios I.

January 26 = Peritios 1.

February 25=Dystros 1.

March 27=Xanthikos I.

Notes 123

April 26=Artemisios 1.

May 26=Daisios 1.

June 25=Panemos I.

July 25 =Loos r.

August 23= Loos 30.

August 24-8 = intercalary days.

August 29 = Gorpiaios 1.

September 28 =Hyperberetaios I.

Mamas. Mazochi saw long ago that this passage
does not imply that the name Marnas means ' rain-
god '. At the same time he points out that the
Hebrew moreh (miD) means 'rain' {Joel ii. 23) ;
the resemblance in sound may have suggested that
Marnas was a rain-god. The generally accepted
interpretation — given by Mazochi himself — con-
nects the name with the Syrian Mama = ' Lord '.
But its origin, as I have tried to indicate elsewhere,
is probably western (' Some Palestinian Cults ',
Proc. Brit. Acad, v ; and the Introduction to this
volume, p. xxxii).

Place of Prayer. 7rpocrcvx>?s. proseucha is
the word used by Juvenal (iii. 296) for a place
of prayer belonging to some despicable sect,
probably either the Jewish or the Christian. It was
probably a common term for such places, whether
Jewish or Pagan or Christian (cp. c. 62) ; and there
is no ground for Mazochi's theory that the place
mentioned by Mark was necessarily a Jewish, or a
Pagan praying-place modelled on a Jewish one.
In Egypt, it is true, the term meant a Jewish

124 Life of Porphyry

synagogue : see Mitteis u. Wilcken, Grundziige u.
Chrestomathie der Papyruskunde, I. i, p. 112.

20. sign of the precious Cross, o-qixziov. Mark is
careful to use this word or eKTww/xa (c. 77), in
order to distinguish the object from the true Cross.
Duchesne {Early History of the Christian Church,
Eng. ed. 1912, ii, p. 64 note) remarks that Eusebius
uses the same word ' sign ' of the supposed actual
true Cross which was worshipped at Jerusalem,
perhaps because he doubted its authenticity.

Asclepas. Also called Asclepius. See Intro-
duction, p. xxv.

the Paradise of delight. Gen. iii. 23. Com-
pare the ' paradise of delights ' in Saint John
Chrysostom's prayer for the faithful departed in the
Syro-Jacobite liturgy (J. M. Neale, Liturgies of
St. Mark, &c, 1869, p. 253) ; ' the garden of delight '
(Marquess of Bute, The Coptic Morning Service,
1882, p. 98) ; and the inverted phrase in the liturgy
of Saint James and in various forms of the Greek
burial service (iv rpv<f>fj IlapaSeticrov KaracrK-qviocrov) .

Timotheus. See Introduction, p. xx.

ninth hour. About 2.30 p.m.

two hours. That is, until about 4.10 p.m.

going down of the sun. About 5 p.m.

21. sealed, acppayicras rrj tov Xp. o^/aaytSi. This
is the word used for the preliminary signing of the
converts with the sign of the Cross. They then
became catechumens, and after due instruction
were baptized (cp. c. 31). But it must be remem-

Notes

I 2f

bered that the words o-<f>payi<;, crcppayileiv are also
used by other writers in connexion with the actual
baptismal ceremony.

sacrifice of thanksgiving. ev^aptcrTtav.

from the eighth day of Audynaios. i.e. from
January 3-5, 396.

earlier by Jive days. Not always; see note on
c. 19.

Theophany. That is, the Epiphany, January 6.
find. Lit. lay their hands on. See Gelzer,
Leontios> von Neapolis Leben des h. Johannes, index,
s. v. Spdcrcrofiai.

22. payment to the church. cK/cA^cnaon/coi) kovo-
V09. The Moscow Metaphrasis uses o-iTrjpecriov
instead of the second word. It is clear that the
churches in Palestine at this time were landowners
(their estates being managed by the oikovo/aoi : see
c. 95 and Gelzer, Leontios' von Neapolis Leben des
h. Johannes, p. 121), and that their tenants were
not necessarily Christians. The collectors of these
canons were called canonicarii.

24. by affection, viro tov Tradovs, in the general
sense, of emotion. But it may also have something
of the other meaning of the word, ■ accident ' or
unexpected development.

office. axoXovdiav.

25. public advocate. S^/xckSikwv, generally as-
sumed to be the same as the official otherwise
called IkSiko? ttJs 7rdAeojs, defensor civitatis ; * des
Raths und gemeiner Biirgerschaft Schirmvogt '

i 2.6 Life of Porphyry

(Draeseke). These officials are first heard of in the
Augustan age, when they act as intermediaries
between the government and the cities. They
were elected by the citizens and confirmed by the
praefectus praetorio. They held office for two years,
and had jurisdiction in ordinary crimes and civil
cases under 300 aurei. They are to be distinguished
from the permanent ctvvBlkol (Philippi in Rhein.
Mus. viii. 508 ; art. ckSikos in Pauly- Wissowa-
Kroll, Realencycl. ; and cp. L. Mitteis u. V.
Wilcken, Grundziige u. Chrestomathie der Papyrus-
kunde, I. i, p. 81). The Church had repre-
sentatives called kKKk-qaruK^LKoi (Gelzer, op. cit.
p. 122), whose duties were connected with church-
discipline. It seems uncertain whether the Sij/ack-
Sikwv is quite the same as the ckSikos t?}s 7rdAcws ;
he may possibly be a representative of the S^uos
as distinct from the fiov\.rj.

guardians of the peace, elp-qvapx^v. ' Irenar-
chae quoque, qui disciplinae publicae et corri-
gendis moribus praeficiuntur,' Dig. 1. 4. 18. Cp.
M. Gelzer, Studien zur byz. Verwaltung Agyptens,
p. 58.

councillors. 7t/dwtcvovtwv. The Egyptian
papyri provide some evidence about the corre-
sponding authorities in Egyptian communities ; in
the villages the title 7iy)wTevovTes is, however, less
commonly employed than TrpwTOKuifjLrJTaL. Their
special function was to act as local taxation authori-
ties, but also, it would seem, they were responsible

Notes 127

for the government of the village. They formed
a K01VOT77S, a sort of c parish council ', with an acting
committee called the KWfjLapxai. Thus in Pap.
Cairo 67006 recto, 3, the TrpwrevovTes wish to impose
on a woman state-services to which she is not
liable ; in Pap. Lond. 1073, the comes of Arcadia
is asked to instruct the TrpuiTOKw/xrJTaL to protect
some persons engaged in building. In the case of
a city with a j3ov\rj, the term Trpwrevovres, accord-
ing to Maspero, is sometimes used for the fiovXevrai
or decurions. See Mitteis u. Wilcken, op. cit. I. i,
p. 84 ; Maspero in Bull, de V Inst, franc. cPArcheo-
logie orientale, vi, p. 42 ; and, for older evidence,
Ducange, Gloss. Graec.

In this biography the term appears again in c. 27
and in c. 95. In the latter instance Sampsychus
is supported by ' the rest of the council ' ; but in
the former Mark speaks as if there were no more
than three 7rpcoT£vovT€s altogether. It is possible
then that he uses the word in a sense corresponding
to the Egyptian Ku>p.dpxa(, as a committee of the
council.

26. John, who was at that time bishop of Con-
stantinople. Saint John Chrysostom was consecrated
February 26, 398. On July 27 of the same year
Eutropius quarrelled with him, and carried a law
depriving the churches of the right of asylum.
Mark's visit therefore falls between February 26
and July 27, 398. According to Theodoret (Hist.
Eccl. v. 29), John showed special zeal against

128 Life of Porphyry

heathen temples in Phoenicia, procuring decrees
from the Emperor and subscriptions to the cam-
paign from wealthy and pious ladies.

Eutropius the chamberlain. The eunuch Flavius
Eutropius, praepositus sacri cubiculi and patricius,
who was in 399 consul (the first of his kind to attain
this dignity) with Manlius Theodorus. He was in
the same year deposed by the party of Gainas and
beheaded at Chalcedon. Zosimus (v. 12. i) says
that he ruled the weak Arcadius as if he were
a beast of the field (KaOd-n-ep (ioa-K-rjixaToi).

27. adjutant of the Master of the Offices, crovfia-
Siovfia, subadiuva. The Magister Officiorum had
as his assistants an adiutor and a subadiuva adiutoris.
On the Master of the Offices and his functions see
Cassiodorus Far. vi. 6 (Hodgkin, Letters of Cassio-
dorus, p. 302).

One Hilarius, possibly the same man, was
governor of Palestine about 387.

officers of the consular court. Ko/ievTap-qo-Lovs
Tr}? {nra.Tu<f)s. These commentarienses were officers
of the governor's court, who received the formal
charge against an accused person, and were respon-
sible for securing him, bringing him before the
judge, keeping the records of the trial, and finally
seeing that sentence was executed.

For the ' consulars ', see note on c. 50.
councillors of the city. See note on c. 25.

28. that enlighteneth the mind, tts to vorjrbv
avrov (pus, as distinct from the light perceived by
the physical eye.

Notes 129

Aelias. ' The text is AtAtas ; the Moscow
Metaphrasis has AtAtas. This is an unusual form
for a female name ; but for that very reason it is
improbable that it should be a corruption of AiAia,
so common a name. It is just possible that ovofxart
AtAtas may be a construction analogous to the
English ' by the name of Aelia ', though I can give
no parallels from Greek. But the Moscow Meta-
phrast evidently understood AtAtas as a nominative.

since . . . the child, twv Kara wpav wSivtov to
/3/3c'<£os wBovcrwv.

29. inquired after the reason. The Moscow Meta-
phrasis has ' although he was not ignorant of the
reason, yet he inquired '. The addition is charac-
teristic of the later writer's idea of necessary
improvements to Mark's sincerer narrative. Mark
implies immediately afterwards that the saint did
not know the cause.

for her. i.e. for her mistress.

31. make attendance in holy church. <rxoAa£«i/,
i.e. to go constantly to receive instruction previous
to baptism.

and the child. Reading tw fipccpeL with H,
instead of to /?pe'<£os.

enlightened. Possibly here used only in the
general sense of ' converted ', but often, as in cc. 47,
74, for ' baptized '.

32. departeth to Caesarea. September 401.

33. / call thee to witness before the unseen God.

Reading /xapTvpofxaLtre with H, for fxaprvpovfiai ere.
546-20 K

i 3 o Life of P o rphyry

for the season, f] yap xei/xepios rpoTrtj Xolttov
imkafjLpdveTou, the winter solstice is yet to come,
the weather is getting worse. Nuth quotes Fried-
lander, Sittengesch. ii5, p. 20 sq., showing that from
November 1 1 to March 5 practically all navigation
ceased.

34. pieces of money, vo/xio-fiara, gold solidi
(of normally 4-55 grammes), 43 of which would
be equivalent in weight to about 24* English
sovereigns.

straightway departed. September 22, 401.
the twenty-eighth day of ' Gorpiaios. September.
According to Nuth, H reads rj/xipa 6y8dj/ kcu ei/caSi
ropmcuou K<xTa Be cPa>fj.cu'ous IeTrrefi|3pia> (sic)
cUdSi rpiry. The other manuscripts omit the
words here given in heavy type ; Henschen con-
jectured Ilepmov for t/jitj, with the result that
the whole chronology was thrown out until the
right reading was restored by Nuth from H. At
the same time, Nuth argues that 1731777 should be
TripnTTrj. Mark has applied his rule that the Gazaean
calendar is five days in advance of the Roman to
all months, whereas it is only true of January and
April ; in the other months the advance is only
three or four days.

They set sail therefore on September 25, 401,
and arrived at Rhodes about October 6.

five years ago. That is, in 415 or 416, for this
life was doubtless written in 420 or 421.

35. the most blessed John and Porphyry. Mark uses

Note a

I3I

the circumlocution ol -rrepl roi«s /x. 'I. k. II., ' the
company of the most blessed,' &c. ; but obviously
it cannot include the whole company, unless ' /ecu
StaxovoL ' has fallen out.

travelling, tov a-KvXfjiov, a word, like our own
' travel ', expressing the hardship of voyaging ;
cp. cc. 37, 40.

36. Amantius. Probably the same man who was
afterwards the favourite of Theodosius II (Nuth,
p. 29 note).

37. after other ten days. i.e. about October 16,
401.

a possession. The estate of the widow of
Theognostus, which was seized by the empress.
See Draeseke, Gesamm. Patr. Untersucbungen,
pp. 227, 241 ff., where other references are given.

chief officer. Kacrrprja-iov, castrensem. The full
title is comes et castrensis sacri Palatii. The office
was probably one of those instituted by Diocletian.
As the name shows, the castrensis was in essence
and origin a quartermaster ; but he was responsible
for a great part of the domestic administration and
also for the upkeep of the buildings of the Palace.

38. On the next day. October 18, 401.

39. On the next day. October 19, 401.
beadles. Sckcuw. These were the lowest

rank of court-officials, employed as janitors and
messengers, a large corps, under three primicerii,
and ultimately under the magister officiorum.
They are first mentioned towards the end of the

K 2

1 3 2 Life of Porphyry

fourth century. Seeck in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-
encyclopadie, s.v.

happily, /xera 4>i\av6pwn-ia<;. This is probably
not equivalent to koto. (pikavOpwrriav deov, ' by the
mercy of God,' but rather used in a more general
sense of a ' happy ' or ' kindly ' delivery. The same
phrase occurs in c. 42.

42. On the next day. October 20, 401.

for thee to see. Since Eudoxia died in Septem-
ber 404, Porphyry's prophecy was not fulfilled in
all particulars.

the beauty. Lit. ' there was added to her
countenance beauty above that which she had.'

43. this is the ninth month. The same had been
said by Procopius about October 6 (c. 34). There-
fore Theodosius must have been born late in
October or early in November. Eudoxia had so
far borne : (1) Flaccilla, 397 ; (2) Saint Pulcheria,

399 5 (3) Arcadia, 400. The last was born on
April 3, 400 ; therefore if Theodosius was born in
October or November, it must have been, not in

400 (as has been supposed), but in 401, which
entirely agrees with the rest of the chronology of
Mark's narrative. The whole question is ably
worked out by Nuth, pp. 12 f.

the most holy John, the archbishop. Saint John
Chrysostom is not mentioned again, probably
because he went to Asia Minor to inquire into
the charges against Antoninus, Bishop of Ephesus.
This he must have done in the winter of 401-2,

Notes

M3

not early in 400 as generally supposed. See Nuth,
pp. 14 f.

44. was proclaimed Emperor. Here Mark seems
to be in error. It appears from the Paschal
Chronicle that the solemn inauguration of the
infant Emperor took place on January 10, 402,
when he was more than two months old. At any
rate it is clear from the story that he was already
Augustus when he was carried out after the
baptismal ceremony. It is true that the phrase
(c. 46) ' after a few days ' looks as if it was at least
intended that the baptism should take place very
soon after the Empress had finished her lying-in.
But, on the other hand, the phrase ' the days ran
on ' (c. 47) indicates a rather greater lapse of time ;
and Mark's use of 6\iyos is peculiar. He says, for
instance (c. 103), that Porphyry lived ' a few years '
after the consecration of the Eudoxiana, and we
know that these few years were no less than thir-
teen ! (Nuth, p. 30 note).

the cities, i.e. of the provinces.
/fl. enlightened. <j!>(»m£eo-0ai, i.e. 'baptized'. See
note on c. 31. On the various synonyms for baptism
see F. E. Warren, Liturgy and Ritual of Ante-Nicene
Church, 2nd ed. (1912), p. 54.

them that went before, twv Trporpfovjxivijyv.
Bury {Later Rom. Emp. i, pp. 200 f.) translates
' magnates ', which would be attractive if the order
were tw irp. tov 7rAr/#ovs, instead of tov TrXyO.
twi' 7rp. In the next sentence TrporjyovvTo can only

i34 Life of Porphyry

mean ' led the procession ', so probably Mark is
not using the participle in a technical sense.

Patricians and Illustres. Patricius is the title
of a dignity instituted by Constantine. Unattached
to any office, it was the culmination of the cursus
honorum, and ranked next to the lowest imperial
dignity (nobilissimus). See E. A. Stuckelberg, Der
Constantinische Patriciat (1891). Illustris was
another of the titles borne by palatine dignitaries
and the highest military officers ; below the
illustres came the spectabiles, and below these the
clarissimi. In later times, as in the seventh
century, these titles seem to have lost a good deal
of their dignity.

48. after the baptism. He appears to have been
baptized by Severianus of Gabala, in the absence
of Saint John Chrysostom (Nuth, p. 16).

49. harder to refuse. Reading fiapvTepa Se 1)
Trapa.LTT](Ti<; with H and the Paris Epitome.

this holy garment. The white baptismal dress
worn by the baptized for a week (cp. c. 101, p. 109,
and see Usener, Legenden der Pelagia, p. 48).

50. quaestor. Perhaps chancellor is the nearest
English equivalent to this title.

consulars. i.e. persons of consular rank, which
they received from the Emperor whether they had
actually been consuls or not. They were sent to
govern the provinces as imperial legates.

51. they took away. Tillemont refers this to the
banishment of Eutropius (399), Nuth (p. 26 note)

Notes

13;

to the time after the disturbances of Gainas (July I,
400). In ravra Se irpo rovrov iirpa^Or], rovrov
refers to the present story, ravra to the punish-
ment of the unorthodox.

Cynegius. Otherwise unknown ; not Cynegius
the praetorian prefect, who died in 388 when consul
(Nuth, p. 30 note).

consistory. He was, that is, a comes consistorii,
as the Paris Epitome calls him ; in other words,
one of the regular members of the imperial council.
52. Resurrection. April 6, 402.

he was in sooth blameless. To Amantius is
attributed the foundation of the Church of
Saint Thomas the Apostle at Constantinople.

53- hundreds. Kevrrjvapta. The centenarium is
generally taken to represent 100 Roman pounds of
gold, i. e. 7,200 solidi, the equivalent in weight of
about £4,100 English. But the identification is not
quite certain. See Kubitschek in Pauly-Wissowa,
Realencycl. s.v., and in Numismatische Zeitschrift
(Vienna), 191 1, p. 190.

one thousand pieces of gold. The equivalent in
weight of about £570 sterling.

54. were wholly quit. This appears to be the
sense of reAeiws aTrrjWdyrjo-av.

prefects, lirapxpis.

twenty pounds. The equivalent in weight of
about £820 sterling.

Jijty pieces of money, i. e. gold pieces ; the total
sum being equivalent in weight to £28 10/. sterling.

1 3 6 Life of Porphyry

eighteenth of April. It would appear that the
interview with the Emperor was on April 12, since
two intervals of three days each are mentioned,
and the arrangements for the interviews with the
Empress and Emperor had taken a week, since
Easter was on April 6.
55- in five days. i.e. on April 23, 402.
57- the divine mysteries. That the materials for
the Eucharist were carried on board ship by the
faithful is shown by Saint Ambrose (de excessufratris
sui Satyri, i. 43) ; Gregor. Magn. Dial. hi. 36, and
cp. the note in Migne on the former. Since the
converted Arian was allowed to communicate, the
first stage of signing with the Cross was evidently
allowed, in this emergency, to qualify him, although
under ordinary circumstances he would have had
to wait until he had been fully baptized. Or is
Mark using avacrtppayi^uv here in the sense of
' re-baptize ' ?

on the fifth, i.e. May 1, 402.
59. Four Ways. The Leipzig editors compare
the Acta Martyris Anastasii Persae, ed. Usener
23n9, ' the Tetrapylon that is in the middle of
the city.' It is the crossing of the four main roads
in the centre of the town. Cp. also Tf.TpairXa.nLa
(Ducange, App. ad Gloss. Graec).

upon a base, or, above an altar (fiio/xos).

giveth answer in dreams. Draeseke (Zeitschr.
f. zviss. Theol. xliv. 1901, pp. 82-86) supposes this
to be a case of incubation, i.e. of the practice of

Notes 137

sleeping in temples in order to receive the assistance
of the deity. But, since this statue was in a street,
he admits that the actual incubation must have
taken place elsewhere, i.e. in the temple of
Aphrodite (c. 64). If so, one would have expected
the offerings to have been made to the cultus-
statue in the temple. On the practice of incuba-
tion in antiquity, see Mary Hamilton, Incubation
(St. Andrews, 1906).

61. come out of the ship. iKTrXevcrdvTwv, usually
meaning ' set sail from '.

62. places of prayer. cr)(o\d£,eiv toIs dyiais
7r/DOo-€ii^ai5. This is parallel to a\- Trj dyt'ct iKKXrjcria
(c. 31), and Trpoo-evxv is therefore to be translated
' place of prayer ', not merely ' prayer '. See note
on c. 19 (p. 123).

63. after the tenth day. May 13, 402.

64. eight public temples, &c. See Introduction,
pp. xxxi f.

66. ten days. May 14-23, 402.

sacrifices of human beings. The charge was
probably unfounded. See Draeseke, Zeitschr. f.
zviss. Theol. xliv. 1901, p. 85.

liquid pitch, i.e. raw, distinct from ' dry
pitch ' which was thickened by re-heating (Plin.
N. H. xxiv. 7. 23, Dioscorides, i. 94, 97).

67. after the people had been dismissed from the
church. /xera rrjv airokvo-w T7/s eK/cA^cnas. The
word air6\v<ji<i is evidently used in the general
sense, and not as equivalent to missa. In c. 76

138 Life of Porphyry

tt/9 d. rwr kwOixmv f.v)(Sv it is slightly more
specialized, though even there it is better rendered
' dismissal ' or ' departure '.

68. the Greek tongue, which indeed seems to have
been little known to the lower classes in Palestine
at any time. See E. Schiirer, Gesch. desjiid. Volkes^
ii, p. 85.

coins. The word is vop.ccrp.aTa, i. e. the
ordinary gold solidi of the time. Three such
would be equivalent in weight to £1 14J. sterling.

69. Christ-loving lay-folk. Here for the first
time Mark uses this phrase (6 cjuXoxpto-ros Aaos,
sometimes in the amplified form 01 tov <f>. A..).
The word Aaos in this phrase is not necessarily
always opposed to /cA^pos, though it is sometimes,
as here and in c. 75.

71. cast into the jakes. ets fiopfiopov. This was
the crowning insult to any religious image. There
is a legend (supposed to go back to Saint Jerome) of
a Jew who tried to defile an image of the Virgin
in this manner (J. A. Herbert, British Museum
Catalogue of Romances, ii, p. 612).

73. virtues which . . . from circumstances. ire.pL-
aTaTLKal aperou av/ji/3aLvov(rat tois d.v6ponroi<;.

74. persons. 6v6p.ara. Cp. Acts i. 15. On thi
usage see Nuth, p. 42, and Dieterich in Byz.
Zeitschr. viii, 1899, p. 198. Psychological subtleties
in explanation of the usage are, however, unneces-
sary ; the name represents the person, and name
can therefore be used for person. A good instance

is

Notes 139

of the substitution is afforded by the Greek coins
of Lysimachus, King of Thrace, and other rulers,
where Victory is represented placing a wreath on
the name of the king (G. F. Hill, Hist. Greek Coins,
p. 123).

75- Having sent away . . . lay-folk. These
Christians who were dismissed were clearly only
those who had come up for the time from Maiumas
(see c. 65).

the shape of it was round. See references to the
literature of this subject in my paper on ' Some
Palestinian Cults' (Proc. Brit. Acad. vol. v).

76. after the morning prayers, r>}? airoXvcre<x><;
twv iojOcvwv ei)(wv yevo/AeV^s. See above, note on
c. 6j.

78. gypsum. On this method of making plans,
see Haupt in Hermes, iv (1869), p. 29. The plan
of Alexandria was similarly marked out with flour.

fashion. Seats here means the actual plan
on the site, as distinct from the plan on paper
(crKapt</>ov) .

79. Aldioma. Mazochi compares Etym. Mag.
AXS-rj/Aios t) "AA8o9, 6 Zevs, os iv Taty rijs %vpta<i

Tifxarai, Trapa to dASatvco, to av^dvui' 6 €7rt t??s
av^rjcreuis twv Kapirdv. Me^oSios. He suggests,
among other things, that it may be connected
with *i7i7, perfodere, since there were quarries there.

80. spent one hour. Trotrjo-as wpav p.iav. No
twisting of the words will do away with this singular
instance of belief in the efficacy of prayer as
opposed to action.

140 Life of Porphyry

84. in the next year. a.d. 403.

Carystian. ' Cipollino ' from Carystus in
Euboea. See G. R. Lepsius, Griechische Marmor-
studien, Abh. der k. Akad., Berlin, 1890, p. 41.
Professor J. L. Myres, to whom I owe this reference,
informs me that the quarries are still open, several
of them belonging to an English firm.

came into harbour. KaTaTrXevadvTuiv. ButNuth,
p. 47, maintains that the word here means ' were
taken out of the ship ', which seems very doubtful.

open part of the temple, iv tw v-n-aiOpco tov
Upov. The double portico had been left standing,
and Mark apparently uses the word which techni-
cally would mean the roofless nave of the temple
for the whole space within the circle of the portico.

85. Julia. The Moscow Metaphrasis calls her
Juliana.

86. in appearance. This opinion (Docetism) was
held by various Christian sects, including Marcio-
nites and Gnostics, as well as by the Manichaeans.

Philistion the maker of plays. Draeseke sug-
gests that this may be the writer of mimes, a native
of Sardes, Magnesia or Nicaea, who lived in Rome
in the time of Tiberius. See W. Christ, Gesch.
d. griech. Litt.z, p. 625.

88. Ennomus. This person is unknown ; but
there is no reason to suspect a corruption in the
text. Haupt suggested to. iv vo/aw crrj/xeta, for
' legal shorthand ', but it is doubtful whether the
words could bear that meaning.

Notes 1 4 r

in another book, which has not survived. The
' Acta Archelai ' profess to report a similar dispute
(on which see Encycl. Brit.11 xvii, p. 577), and were
probably Mark's chief literary source for Mani-
chaeism, if he had anything but hearsay to go upon.

92. Easter. April 14, 407.

93. Let not your faith be little, reading ^rj . . .
oXiyrj as a single sentence.

94. six obols . . . ten obols. The obol was at this
time a bronze coin, the Latin name for it being

follis. It was probably the largest of the current
bronze coins, slightly smaller than a shilling. Its
value in relation to the solidus at this time is not
recorded ; later, in the sixth century, it was 2\q.

95. councillor. See note on c. 25.

97. roof-chamber. Sw/xartov, a garret, or some
slight construction on the roof of the building.
Mazochi compares Mart. Polycarpi, § vii, where
the martyr is found cv tlvl Sa>//.aTtu> KaTaKet'/xcvos
v7r€pu>w. It was evidently exposed, for Mark notes
in c. 98 that they were able to sleep there because
it was summer-time.

98. Salaphtha. Mazochi notes that the true
name may have been Salamtha (the Paris Epitome
has Salantha). In Syriac Nfll^C is ' Peace '.

doing us all service. -rroiovcryyi tj/mv 7rao-av
airoKpio-iv. For this mediaevalism cp. Doctrina
Iacobi nuper baptizati (ed. N. Bonwetsch, Abh. d.
k. Gesellsch. d. Wiss. %u Gottingen, N.F., xii.
Nr. 3), p. 90, 1.

142 Life of Porphyry

99. officer. KOfxevTapycriov. See note on c. 27.
public officers. $r)fxo<rievovT€<; : possibly sub-
ordinate police-officers, who in Egyptian villages
seem to have been called <$?/p>cr<.oi : see M. Gelzer,
Studien zur byzantinischen V erwaltung Agyptens,
p. 58.

100. steward. oIkovo^ov. See note on c. 22.
miliaresia. The tniliarense was a silver coin,

introduced by Constantine, worth x 0X0 0 of the
Roman pound of gold, and weighing the same as
his gold solidus, i.e. Jg lb. or about f of a modern
shilling. The ' one piece of money ' mentioned in
the next clause is the ordinary gold nomisma, in
weight equivalent to about lis. 6d. sterling.

stricken in body, to crwfj.a €?x€V o"v/x,7i-c7ra/3/xeVoF,
' transfixed '.

101. the sacred dress. See above, note on c. 49.
forbidden of our Scripture. The reference is to

Heb. xiii. 4.

amazed. crvvapTraytis, ' caught ', ' rapt '.
Usener, Legenden der Pelagia, 57 : <rv el b SoXlos
6'0ts 6 . . . VTreureXOwv rfj Eua Kai crwap7ra<xas
avrrjv. Cp. Luke viii. 29 ; Prov. vi. 25.

without passion. aTraOrjs. The text may be
defended. The passage tallies with c. 8, where it
is said that Porphyry attained ttjv TeAetav a7ra$eiav.
It is true that in the same chapter he is described
as a-vfjLTraOrjTLKos- But the point here seems to
be that Mark is anxious that Porphyry's emotion
should not be wrongly interpreted ; it was no

Notes 143

human passion that moved him. Yet it must be
admitted that the passage is very clumsy. Haupt
suggests evTraOrj<s, the Teubner editors crvfXTraO^,
which is better.

102. Manaris. Mazochi connects with 113 =
lucere, Heb. TOO = lamp.

the habit of the rule, to kclvovikov o-^-JJ/xa.
endured partaking of naught. The expressive
word is elAKev, ' dragged along '.

103. other few years. No less than thirteen.

in the year four hundred and fourscore. Dystr. 2,
480 a. c. is February 26, 420 a.d.

four and twenty years, &c. i.e. 25 years less
22 days. Therefore he began his tenure of the see
on Dystr, 25 = March 21, 395 a.d. See above,
note on c. 16.

INDEX I
ENGLISH AND LATIN

Aelias, wife of Heros,
miraculous delivery of,
36-40.; her name, 129.

Aeneias, bishop of Gaza,
xxxi, 16, 120.

Aetius, Christian sophist,
xlii.

Agapius, martyr, xx.

Aldioma, hill near Gaza,
90, 139.

Alexander Jannaeus de-
stroys Gaza, xv.

Alexander of Gaza, mar-
tyr, xxi.

Alexander the Great takes
Gaza, 24, 121.

Amantius the eunuch, 45,
47-5°> 53f-> 60-3, 131,

135-

Anastasis, church of the,

"7- .
Aphrodite : worshipped at

Gaza, xxxi, 73 ; oracu-
lar statue of, 69-71.

Aphthonius the Mani-
chaean, xlii.

Apollo, worshipped at
Gaza, xxxi, 73.

Arcadius, Emperor of Con-
stantinople, 34 ; in-
duced by Eudoxia to
suppress idolatry in
Gaza, 51, 59 f., 64.

Arians, xxvi, 66 f.

Artemis, Cretan, consort
of young Zeus, xxxiii,
xxx vi.

Ascalon : submits to
Jonathan Maccabaeus,
xiv ; basilica at, burnt,
xxviii ; port of, 10.

Asceticism, 16, in, 119.

Asclepas, bishop of Gaza,
xxv f., 26, 124.

Asterios, Zeus, xxxvi.

Baptism, 125, 133 f., 136.

Barochas : his character,
xli ; fights with the
heathen, 20, 29-33, 104,
107 ; ordained deacon,
33 ; leads procession at
foundation ceremony,
88 ; present at dispute
with Julia, 98 ; mean-
ing of name, 121.

Britomartis, Cretan god-
dess, xxxiii, xxxvi.

Byzantium : Mark's mis-
sion to, 34 f. ; Porphyry
and John at, 46-64.

Caesarea : metropolitan
church of Gaza, 17, 120;
Porphyry leaves rever-
sion of money to, 103 ;

146

Index 1

Porphyry at, 21, 41 ;

Clarus sends prisoners

to, 108.
Calendar : see Gaza.
Carystian marble, 94, 140.
Castrensis, 131.
Catechumens, 124.
Cherethites — Cretans,

XXXV.

Choricius of Gaza, xviii.
Clarus, consular, 108.
Commentarienses, 128.
Communion, Holy, 27,

75 f-> 1.36. .

Constantia — Mammas,
xxiii.

Constantine : makes

Maiumas independent
of Gaza, xxiii ; his basi-
lica at Jerusalem, 8.

Constantinople : see By-
zantium.

Consulars, 134.

Cornelius, deacon, 29, 32 ;
writes shorthand, 98.

Cretan : Zeus-Marnas of
Gaza, xxxii ; worship
of young Zeus and
maiden consort, xxxiii ;
foundation of Gaza,
xxxiv ; connexion with
Philistia, xxxv.

Cross : the true, Porphyry
custodian of, 15, 20,
119 ; red crosses found
on children rescued
from well, 93 ; sign
(= reproduction) of the
Cross, 124.

Cynegius : count of the
consistory, 62, 135 ;
suppresses idolatry at
Gaza, 72, 80.

Dionysius the Areopagite,
xxxviii.

Diospolis : council of,
xliii, 1205 Porphyry
passes through, 22.

Docetism, 140.

Dream-oracles, 69, 136.

Egyptian : element in
Gaza, xiii, xxiii ; mo-
nasteries, 7, 14, 118 ;
wine-merchants at

Maiumas, 68.

Enlighten = convert or
baptize, 129, 133.

Ennomus, his system of
shorthand, 98, 140.

Epiphanius, councillor of
Gaza, 32.

Eudoxia, Empress, wife of
Arcadius : her quarrel
with John Chrysostom,
45 ; her reception of
and dealings with the
bishops, 49-64 ; founds
church at Gaza, 85 f. ;
gives marble pillars for
it, 94 ; her children,
132; her death, 132.

Eudoxiana, church of
Gaza : its building, 85-
94; consecration, 101 f.

Eulogius, archbishop of
Caesarea, 120,

Index I

147

Eusebius, deacon, of Cae-
sarea, 43.

Eusebius of Gaza, martyr,
xxviii f.

Eutropius (Flavius), cham-
berlain of Arcadius,
34 f., 127 f.

Euzoius, archbishop of
Caesarea, 120.

Fasting, 16, ill, 119.
Fortune, worshipped at

Gaza, xxxi f., 73.
Four Ways, 136.

Gaza : passim ; history
of, xiii-xxxi ; cults of,
xxxi f., 69, 73 ; era and
calendar of, xv, 24, 28,
65, 122, 130; martyrs
of, xix-xxii ; churches
of, xxvi, xxviii, xxx f. ;
Cretan origin of, xxxiii-
v ; its importance, 6 ;
its bishops, xxvf., 16;
taken by Alexander the
Great, 24 ; the supersti-
tious character of its
people, 73.

Gelasius, archbishop of
Caesarea, 120.

Greek, little spoken in
Palestine, 79, 138.

Gypsum used for marking
out plan of church, 89,

139-

Hadrian visits Gaza,xvif.;
founds the Marneion,

xvii ; panegyris in his

honour, xvi.
Hecate worshipped at

Gaza, xxxi, 73.
Hermits : in neighbour-
hood of Gaza, xxiv f. ;

Procopius of Rhodes :

see Procopius.
Herod the Great acquires

Gaza, xvi.
Heroon of Gaza, xxxi, 73.
Heros of Gaza, husband of

Aelias, 37.
Hesiod, source of Mani-

chaean doctrine, 96.
Hilarion of Thabatha,

xxiv f., xxx.
Hilarius, subadiuva of the

Master of the Offices,

35, 128.

Illustres, 134.
Incubation, 136.
Io at Gaza, xxxii.
Ionian Sea (from Gaza to

Pelusium), xxxvii.
Irene : see Peace, Salaph-

tha.
Irenion, bishop of Gaza,

xxxi, 16 f., 23 f:, 120.

Jannaeus : see Alexander.
Jerome on the fall of the

Marneion, xxxvii f.
Jerusalem, bishops of,

1 20 ; Porphyry at, 8-

Jews, hostdity of Gaza to,
xiv-xvi.

L 2

148

Index I

John, archbishop of Cae-
sarea, 17-22, 41, 1205
goes to Byzantium
with Porphyry, 42 ff. ;
returns to Caesarea, 72.

John Chrysostom, bishop
of Constantinople, 34 f.,
127, 132; his quarrel
•with Eudoxia, 45, 47 ;
receives the bishops, 46

ff-' S3-
Julia the Manichaean, xl,

xlii, 94-100.

Julian the Philosopher,

his treatment of Gaza,

xxvii-xxx.

Kasios, Zeus, xxxvi.
Kouros, young Zeus,
xxxiii, xxxvi.

Land, ownership of, by
churches, 125.

Maccabaeus, Jonathan,
subdues Gaza, xiv.

Maiden, the (Persephone),
worshipped at Gaza,
xxxi, 73.

Maiour of Gaza, martyr,
xx, 26.

Maiumas : relations with
Gaza, xxii ; name
changed to Constantia,
xxiii ; its treatment by
Julian, xxvii ; Zeno,
bishop of, xxviii f. ;
reception of Porphyry
at, 68.

Major, martyr, xx.
Manaris (Photine), dea-
coness, no, 143.
Manichaeans : debates of
Christians with, xlii ;
Julia, 94-1005 their doc-
trines, 95 f.
Mark the deacon : passim ;
his book, xxxviii ; his
trustworthiness, xxxix 5
his life and character,
xl f. 5 lost report of dis-
pute with Julia, xl.
Mania = maiden, xxxiii.
Mamas, god of Gaza, xvii,
xxxii-xxxvi, 123 ; the
Cretan Zeus, xxxii ff.,
73 ; his maiden consort,
xxxiii 5 relation to Zeus
Kasios, xxxvi 5 lord of
the rains, 24, 123.
Marneion at Gaza, xvii,
xxxvii, 24, 33, 36, 55,
73 ; attacked by Chris-
tians, 74 ; its destruc-
tion, 76-81 ; its form,
85 ; its stones used for
paying, 87.
Marriage-oracles, 69.
Martyrion, 117.
Master of the Offices, 128.
Miliaresion, 142.
Minos, the Cretan Zeus,
xxxiii; founder of Gaza,
xxxiv.
Miracles : Hilarion dis-
solves a pagan spell,
xxv 5 revelation of
bones of Eusebius, Nes-

Index I

149

tabus, and Zeno, xxix ;
cure of Porphyry, 1 1 f. ;
rain in answer to prayer,
26 ; delivery of Aelias,
36 ff. ; calming of storm
at sea, 66 ff. ; heathens
slain by falling statue,
71; child reveals method
of burning Marneion,
76 ff. ; wicked tribune
killed by falling beam,
81 ; three boys fall
down a well unhurt,
90 ff. ; sudden death of
Julia the Manichaean,
100.

Natiras, bishop of Gaza,

xliii.
Nestabus of Gaza, martyr,

xxviii f .
Nestor of Gaza, confessor,

XXX.

Netoras, bishop of Gaza,

xliii.
Nicaea, council of, xxv.
Nomisma, or solidus, 117,

130, 138.

Obol, 141.

Paradise of delight, 124.

Patricians, 134.

Paula visits Gaza, xxxi.

Peace, church of : in
Gaza, xxxi, 23 f., 71,
88; at Byzantium, 121 ;
at Hippo, 122.

Peace, Gazaean virgin :
see Salaphtha.

Persecution of Christians
in Gaza, xix-xxii,
xxviii f .

Persephone : see Maiden.

Phaeno, the mines of,
xxi f .

Philistines of Gaza, xiii f. ;
relations with Crete,
xxxv.

Philistion, playwright,
96, 140.

Photine : see Manaris.

Pompeius liberates Gaza,
xv.

Porphyry, bishop of Gaza :
passim ; his character,
xli f. ; 13, no ; career,
xliii ; origin, 7 ; power
of explaining the Scrip-
tures, 13, 18 ; asceti-
cism, 16.

Porphyry, son of Heros,40.

Prayer, place of, 25, 123,

Praylius, bishop of Jeru-
salem, xxxix, 15, 18, 20,
118 f.

Procopius, hermit of
Rhodes, 43-6, 65 5 ap-
pears in a vision to Por-
phyry, 66.

Procopius of Gaza, xviii.

Pulse, steeped, 119.

Quaestor, 134.
Quintianus, Arian bishop
of Gaza, xxvi.

I fO

Index I

Resurrection of Christ,
church of the, 8, 117.

Rhodes, Porphyry and
John of Caesarea at,
43-6,65.

Rome, council of (a. d. 340),
xx vi.

Rufinus of Antioch, archi-
tect of the Eudoxiana,
89.

Salaphtha(Irene),Gazaean
virgin, shelters Por-
phyry and Mark, 1 05-7 ;
becomes a Christian and
ascetic, 108-11 ; mean-
ing of name, 141.

Sampsychus, city coun-
cillor, 104.

Sardica, council of, xxvi.

Scetis in Egypt, Por-
phyry at, 7, 116.

Seal = sign with the Cross,
124.

Severianus of Gabala, 134.

Shorthand, 140.

Silvanus, presbyter and
confessor, xxi f.

Skull, place of the, 11, 118.

Solidus : see Nomisma.

Sun, worshipped at Gaza,
xxxi, 73.

Testimony, church of the,
8, 117. '

Thecla of Bizya, martyr,
xx.

Thee of Gaza, martyr, xx,
26.

Theodosius II : birth of,
xxxix, 54 ; proclaimed
Emperor, ib., 133 ; bap-
tized, 57 ff. : his first
decree, 59.

Theophany — Epiphany,
28.

Thessalonica : Porphyry's
birth-place, 7 ; his pro-
perty at, 10.

Timotheus, councillor of
Gaza, 32.

Timotheus, deacon, mar-
tyred in Mauretania,
xxi.

Timotheus, elder and in-
structor, 109.

Timotheus, martyr of
Gaza, xx, 26.

Tychaion of Gaza, 73.

Tyre, council of, xxvi.

Valentina, martyr, xx.

Zeno, bishop of Maiumas,

xxviii f.
Zeno of Gaza, martyr,

xxviii f .
Zeus : Cretan, see Mar-

nas ; Kasios of Pelu-

sium, xxxvi.

INDEX II

GREEK

dyia fKKXtja-la, 115.
anoXovOia, 125.
' A\8T)fiios, Zfir, 139.
"AXfiof, Zevs, 139.
avcurcppayi&iv, 136.
dnonpiaiv nouiv, 141.
d7rd\vo-(f, 137, 139.
Sacavos, 131.
^tjfifuSiKwv, 125.
8r]jj.ocri(vovr(s, 142.
Scopdriov, 141.
tlSaikopavia, 115*
(Iprjvdpxai, 126.
(kSikos ttjs noXecos, 125.
(kk\j](tUk8ikos, 126.
ticrrXfiv, 137.
ev\api(jria, 1 2 5.
&W, 139.
upaxrvvr], 1 1 8.
KaKorrdfiij/o?, 122.
Kavcip fKKXijcrtacrTtKoSf 1 2 5.
Kacrrptjoios, 13 1.
Kara7r\eii', 140.
K(VTT]vdptov , 135.
Kop.€vraprj(rtoL} 128.
K<t>p.dp)(ai, 12 J.
olKovoptladai, 1 1 8.

olxovopLia (dfov), 116.
olKovop.os, 125.
ovop,a = person, 138.
ocnrpibiov, 119.
oairpiov, 119.
nepiypd<peiv, 1 1 8.
Trpoyyovpevoi, 1 3 3.
n-pocm^, 123, 137.
Trpwrevo^Tey, 126.
7rp&>TOKa>pi}Tai, 1 27.
(TKapMpov, 139.
(TKipcofjLa, 117.
(TKvA/xdr, 131.
<Tov(3a8iovftd, 128.
owdy«ii/, 121.
a-vvaprrayeis, 142.
(rvvbiKoi, 126.
(TvvdaaKTOt yvvaiKes, 121.
<T<ppayi£etv, 124.
o-^oXdffii/, 129.
r'tpios, 116.
vTroaQpov, 140.
(piXavOpoanlas, pera, 1 32.
(piXdxpioTO?, 138.
(pofitpds, 1 1 6.

^tpo^€T«tl', ^ftpOTOJ/ftl',
121.

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